Love, Anathema
by Mine.immaculate.dream
Summary: Ritsuka I know it's been three years and things are still hard for you...it's time for the truth to be told. formerly The Beautiful Secret
1. 1: Bad Mammajama

It's becoming dark out. The wind blows gently through the new winter atmosphere, tussling stands of long blond hair. The smell of smoke drifts about in the twilight breeze, and in its wake a small high is heard.

Above the scene is a classroom, small language arts class is being held; the last class for the day. Alert, although he had missed quite a bit of sleep, a boy sits attentively. His face is stoic, not revealing the emotions lingering beneath him; waiting.

He looks up through long black bangs and pushes some of his long black hair off of his shoulder. Time is almost out…almost time for the end of class..

As the tone sounds over the intercom the boy rises, he's almost taller than any of the other boys in the class and his large boyish eyes and changed over time, narrowed.

The boy looks out of the window in the hallway as he made his way out of the building. He gives a halfway smile to the blond outside standing there for him.

"Hmmm…He waited." The black haired boy laughed slightly.

As the boy turns to leave he's startled when he hears a familiar voice behind him.

"Aoyagi Ritsuka…" Called a boy the same age as him, a boy from his distant past.

"Y-Youji?! Err…you cut your hair! It looks like Mr. Ritsu's…."

Youji gave him a dark grin.

"You noticed."

~*~

"What took so long today Ritsuka?" Soubi gave his sacrifice a raised brow.

Ritsuka looked at him incredulously.

"I wasn't talking to a girl Soubi, you can relax."

Soubi frowned.

"I didn't say anything about that…"

Ritsuka rolled his eyes at the older man as he rounded the corner.

"So um, I saw some one interesting today." Ritsuka sighed, trying to sound uninterested.

Soubi looked down at the Sixteen year old boy curiously.

"Who?"

Ritsuka jammed his hands into the pockets of his red stripped hoodie and shrugged.

"Youji came by after class today, that's what took me so long. We ..err.. talked for a moment."

Soubi's eyes widened.

"Youji?! What did he say does he know anything about-."

"Yes."

Soubi sucked in a breath, accidentally gaining Ritsuka's attention.

"Don't freak out Soubi, this is strictly about Nisei…he. He has no idea about Seimei, Ok."

Soubi frowned and looked down for a moment, adjusting his glasses.

Ritsuka looked up at his sentoki curiously.

"After Nisei disappeared we knew we'd never hear from Seimei again. I don't know if he's ever coming back but Septimal Moon isn't gonna do much to help us against him this time. We need to get rid of the opposing threat and Youji and Natsuo want to help us capture Nisei again."

Soubi nodded, his eyes hard.

Ritsuka knew Soubi had a deep fear of Seimei, Ritsuka's older brother. Seimei was nothing like he knew when he was a child…he wasn't loving or interested in anyone but Himself and Ritsuka had to learn that the hard way.

His brother was evil…evil to everyone and he would hurt anyone. Ritsuka still felt such a deep void from what his brother had done but he knew no one felt that void more than Soubi, Seimei's discarded Sentoki.

Ritsuka blew out a deep sigh a placed a hand on Soubi's lower back.

Soubi's eyebrows shot up and he smiled slightly.

"Is Ritsuka ready to lose his ears…now?"

Ritsuka gasped and wrinkled up his nose. "No! Do you have to take **everything **out of context?!"

Soubi laughed and placed an arm around Ritsuka's shoulder as they walked home to Kio's apartment.

~*~

Nisei Flew out into the middle of the road, dodging a few cars in his path. He was discovered and it was only second before he would be caught by the monster. He hadn't been hiding this long, taking every precaution to be caught like this!

Nisei's heart sank as he heard a crash behind him. Cars honked and he heard shrieking. He had only seconds…just a moment before…

Nisei flew out into the deep trees of a city park. It was almost dark outside and he didn't have much to seclude him. As he continued to dart through the trees he heard the crow of a few ravens flocking from the trees. He was almost far enough into the park to find a place to hide, and then he heard a tree fall from behind him.

He stopped suddenly, tripping himself on a tree root as he wiped his head back to look behind him. He sucked in a breath as he saw the evil creature standing over him, features shadowed by the ebbing twilight.

The monster smiled at him with a face so starkly beautiful that Nisei gasped fear and a certain awe.

"Hello Nisei."

~*~

Ritsuka awoke groggily in his queen sized bed reaching for his buzzing cell phone. He sat up shirtless and rubbed his eyes trying to focus on the name on the caller ID.

"ZERO" was what it read.

Ritsuka's ears shot up in surprise and shoved the phone to his ear.

"Youji?! Natsuo?!" Ritsuka answered in a burst on energy.

"He's dead." Stated the voice on the other end.

Ritsuka gasped.

Soubi blinked sleepily and looked up at his sacrifice in slight confusion.

Ritsuka looked down, noticing Soubi's sleepy gaze, a face of horror still spread out onto his features. Soubi gasped.

"What's going on?" The sentoki asked while sitting up next to Ritsuka.

The dark-haired boy held up a hand and waved it in front of Soubi's face, shushing him.

Soubi frowned in irritation as he watched Ritsuka speak intently on the phone.

Ritsuka let out a worried sigh as he hung up the phone and slid it back onto the side table next to the bed.

Soubi turned to him with a meaningful stare; Ritsuka just hung his head.

"Nisei is dead."

~*~

Ritsuka and his Sentoki went to the small club on the corner of Lyl street. It was where they were told to meet the Zero team.

Soubi frowned as they entered the tiny place. It was dark and it stank of cigarettes inside, the windows were covered in band flyers and pictures and the walls seemed to bleed of sweat.

Soubi quickly sat a table up front near the stage, waving at Ritsuka to follow him. Ritsuka stood wide eyed staring at the place with wondered features.

As he made his way to the chair next to his Sentoki a wide smile spread across Ritsuka's features. Soubi gave him a sideways glance.

"What has Ritsuka smiling so big?" He asked almost grinning.

Ritsuka shrugged not taking his eyes off of the little club.

"It- It's so small and it has so much character…it's so insignificant and unique!"

Soubi frowned and let out a sigh.

"I almost forgot how much Ritsuka likes insignificant and unique things."

Ritsuka narrowed his eyes playfully at Soubi's remark.

"Is that a bad thing?!"

Soubi shook hi head vigorously raising a hand to Ritsuka's statement.

"Not at all, not at all."

The band members entered the stage and finished setting up their equipment. Ritsuka smiled hugely as he spied Youji and Natsuo walk on in front of him.

Natsuo turned to look at her old friend and smiled quickly as she gave Ritsuka a little wave. Youji looked up from what he was doing and waved to while giving him a smug grin.

Ritsuka looked at his Sentoki and smiled excitedly.

"Did you know the Zeros were in a band?!"

Soubi shrugged.

"I heard they had taken up a fascination with music but I sort of forgot about it.

Ritsuka frowned.

"You're not a very good friend Soubi." His Sacrifice stated mater- of- factly.

Soubi grinned and tapped Ritsuka's shoulder.

The dark haired boy looked up suddenly, meeting Soubi's gaze.

"What kind of music do you think they play?" His Sentoki asked with all seriousness.

Ritsuka looked perplexed for a moment, thinking deeply.

"Well considering they're personalities I'll go with Punk, real Punk or maybe some kind of industrial music."

Soubi shrugged.

"I was thinking more along the lines of metal they're pretty crazy and I doubt they have the attention span to make industrial music."

"Wanna bet on it?"

Soubi raised a brow.

"Like I could dream of beating Ritsuka…"

The two sat in anticipation for the show to start, both sipping on assorted beverages.

Natsuo slung on her red bass and Youji his pink guitar. The drummer and girl on keyboard were both unknown to the pair watching. People were beginning to enter the little club and suddenly the place became crowded. Normally this would have bothered Ritsuka but he was so curious about the Zero's band that he didn't even notice.

They began to play and much to Soubi and Ritsuka's surprise they started playing "She's a bad mamajama."

Ritsuka gaped.

"What the hell is this?!" Ritsuka shouted to his friend over the music.

Soubi smiled.

"It's Funk Ritsuka."

"_she's a bad mamajamma, just as fine as she can be."_

"_Her body measurements are perfect in every dimension  
She's got a figure that's sho' 'nuff gettin' attention  
She's poetry in motion, a beautiful sight to see  
I get so excited viewin' her anatomy."_

Ritsuka was on his feet by the second chorus, pulling Soubi up to dance with the crowed. They jumped and clapped, dancing to the happy beat.

"I didn't know Youji could sing!" Ritsuka yelled over to Soubi who smiled and shrugged.

"_Looks like she's poured into the gold, she bad  
The essence of beauty, ooh, such lovely hair  
She's foxy, classy, oh, sexy, sassy  
She's heavenly, a treat for the eye to see!" _

As the night went on they danced all the way till the last song "You dropped a Bomb on me" was played.

By then Ritsuka was dancing embarrassingly old –school, clapping his hands and sliding across the floor from side to side. His long hair falling out it's ponytail. Soubi gladly danced next to him, and just as badly (with just a little more taste). He watched happily as Ritsuka's head bobbed up and down; A serious face of concentration on his features.

"_You dropped a bomb on me, baby  
You dropped a bomb on me (But you turned me on, baby)  
You dropped a bomb on me, baby  
You dropped a bomb on me, You were my thrills, you were my pills  
You dropped a bomb on me  
You turn me out, you turn me on  
You turned me loose, then you turned me wrong!" _

When the show was over they clapped and sat back down, waiting for the Zeros to join them. A big grin was still plastered on Ritsuka's face, making Soubi smile at him happily.

"What?!" Ritsuka demanded.

Soubi just sighed, resting his chin in his hand.

"It's just so nice to see you happy Ritsuka, you're always so serious."

Ritsuka frowned for a moment.

"I- I don't mean to be so unpleasant Soubi…"

Soubi waved his Sacrifice's comment off, grinning.

"Ritsuka, you're not unpleasant. You're- You're just so grown up. I just wish sometimes you'd act as young as you are…your remind me of-of…"

Soubi stopped suddenly, afraid of what he was about to accidentally.

Ritsuka looked away from Soubi and stared down at his shoes.

"It always comes back to Seimei, doesn't it?"

Soubi blushed in embarrassment.

"He does seem to find a way to do that to us, to all of us, doesn't he?"


	2. 2:Wicked Game

"I still can't believe what happened to Nisei…" Ritsuka sighed jamming his hands into his hoodie as he walked with Soubi up the stairs toward the apartment they shared with Kio.

Soubi just shrugged, yet again.

Ritsuka frowned.

"Who do you think did that…"

Soubi shoved the keys into the lock and twisted the door handle.

"Well Ritsuka." The sentoki said as he entered the apartment and went into the kitchen. "Natsuo said that his sentoki name was carved out of his hand…I think you know who it was."

Ritsuka narrowed his gaze on Soubi and pursed his lips.

"You don't know that it was him for sure, Soubi."

Soubi made an exasperated sigh while he pulled salmon from the fridge, setting it on the counter.

Ritsuka's mind wandered to his older brother's face, not how it was the last time he saw it three years ago…but how he remembered it when he was a child. Seimei was smiling, his arm out stretched before him. Ritsuka's gaze softened.

"I-I don't know if it was Seimei, but it does seem…to be in his character, I suppose."

Soubi walked into the living room and sat where his sacrifice was resting on the couch, placing his hand on Ritsuka's somber face.

"Don't let this get to you, you've learned to be strong…you learned how to truly love yourself. You can't give this up now that things are getting hard again."

Ritsuka met Soubi's eyes and nodded.

"I know, I just don't want to judge Seimei, he asked me if I would love him…and I do, I didn't lie to him about that. I want to believe that he had his reasons for doing the things that he's done to us. He's always had good reasons for doing everything."

Soubi furrowed his brow.

"I-I think Seimei has selfish reasons for doing these things."

Ritsuka looked away, narrowing his eyes.

"Maybe so, but selfish or not…there has to be an important reason…"

~*~

Soubi and Ritsuka walked though the heavy glass doors of Seven Voices Academy, heading toward Ritsu Sensei's office. The corridors at the school were always cold and uncomfortable; Ritsuka shivered a bit rubbing his bare arms.

Soubi had his hand in his, squeezing it.

"Calm down Soubi, we've been here at least a hundred times."

They came to a closed door to the right of them and the two stopped.

"Knock." Ritsuka instructed.

Soubi raised his arm and knocked on the door forcefully.

Ritsuka rolled his eyes.

"Come in." Said a deep monotone voice from behind the door.

Ritsuka nodded.

They entered the office, closing the door quietly behind them. Ritsuka rolled his eyes when he noticed a blue haired boy sitting on the edge of Ritsu's desk.

"What are you doing here Youji?" Ritsuka asked in an exasperated tone. Youji grinned, crossing his arms.

"I'm takin' over for the boss in a few years, I'm in training." Youji spouted matter of factly.

Ritsuka humphed .

"So that's what's up with the hair cut…"

Youji blushed profusely.

"No it isn't!"

"Enough of the foolishness, we have things of importance to discuss.

Ritsuka's ears flattened.

"This has to do with Nisei doesn't it?"

Ritsu nodded, looking up at Ritsuka through his bangs.

Ritsuka barley remembered what his Sensei looked like with normal eyes, after what Seimei had done to him the doctors worked all night and day…but could only manage to save one of his eyes; that of which was now a perverse transient shade of clear, looking as if all of the color had been drained out of it. On his left eye a black cloth was bound sideways around his head, covering what Ritsuka could only imagine was a disfigured hole.

"Sensei…" Youji started. "Why do you still wear your glasses? I mean they hardly do anything for you. Why don't you just wear a monocle?"

Ritsu Sensei's eyes narrowed in anger and he grabbed his coffee cup and flung it at Youji's head, not even taking his gaze off of his computer.

Youji leaped off of the desk just in time to miss the mug, letting it smash against the wall.

Ritsuka's eyes widened.

"About Nisei…"

Ritsu nodded.

"Obviously the mission is off, he has been attained by Septimal Moon. Although we will never know of Seimei's real plan we now know that Nisei hadn't been planning to meet back up with his sacrifice."

Soubi clenched his fist.

Ritsuka bit his lip, his features deep in thought.

"So now what Sensei?"

Ritsu looked up at this and stared at Ritsuka for a moment.

"We, we will have to find the perpetrator. Nisei was supposed to be ours…we have to find who silenced him."

Ritsuka's eyes widened, a gasp escaping him.

"You, you really mean that? After what Seimei did to you…to the school?"

Ritsu narrowed his gaze dangerously at Ritsuka, looking over his glasses.

"Especially after what he did to this school."

~*~

The winter day was freezing Ritsuka's nose. He tried to bury his face into his scarf as he walked with Soubi in the park. Soubi sipped his coffee, looking up into the trees.

"What should we make for dinner Ritsuka?" Soubi asked thoughtfully.

Ritsuka shrugged.

"I want a pizza I think…doesn't that sound good?"

Soubi smiled and shrugged.

"Whatever Ritsuka wants sounds good…"

"UGHHHhhh." Soubi's sacrifice groaned. "You're so annoying with that.."

Ritsuka suddenly began to feel tingly all over and he looked up at Soubi, feeling startled. Soubi had stopped walking he was standing there with a look of shock and concentration.

"You-you can feel that too Ritsuka, can't you."

Ritsuka gasped and nodded.

"The aura is so strong!"

The wind blew wiping Ritsuka's long black hair around his face. He shivered.

All the world fell silent as Ritsuka began to feel like a young boy again, all of the fear…the sadness of betrayal resurfacing. He saw a beautiful face, eyes of the only person he had ever truly trusted, lips curved into horrible smile.

"S-Sei-."

"My little brother…" the figure suddenly standing a few feet away from them purred.

"What are you…then it's true…"

Seimei raised an articulated brow.

"What's that?"

Ritsuka bowed his head.

"You did kill Nisei."

Soubi just stood there, he felt immobile, stuck in time.

Ritsuka took a small step toward his brother.

"Where have you been Seimei?! What have you been doing?!"

"You're supposed to capture me aren't you?" Seimei ignored his younger brother's question with a wave of his hand.

Soubi narrowed his eyes.

"Yes, we need you Seimei…you have to-."

Seimei looked at his brother with disapproving features on his perfect face.

"I disappointed Ritsuka, that you would do that to me…take your own brother in for Ritsu's order. What happened to being your own person?"

Ritsuka's eye lit.

"Seimei! Stop that! It's not like that at all I just-."

"I declare a battle of words."

Soubi's eyes widened. Seimei's aura was like a black cloud, darkness engulfed his making him weak and sick feeling. The sentoki blinked in confusion, feeling dazed.

Wind whipped around Seimei's long wavy auburn locks. Ritsuka frowned as he noticed Seimei's subtle differences. He still had his ears and tail, but his face seemed more mature and his hair was so long it reached down passed his chest.

"A battle, Seimei?! You can't be serious! I'm not gonna fight you without a Sentoki!"

Seimei's eyes were fixed on them, unwavering.

"I accept!" Soubi shouted, his eyes full of emotion.

Ritsuka gasped.

You cannot fight my brother Soubi! He has no Sentoki! This isn't fair!"

Ritsuka beat Soubi chest with his fist in frustration, but he knew there was nothing he could do now…the battle was declared.

"_I am Powerful. I need nothing. I am everything. I need no Sentoki. I am the only Beloved in this world."_

Soubi gasped suddenly, feeling a pang of hurt sear through his chest.

Ritsuka cried out in sudden pain, light shown suddenly around his narrow wrists and chains appeared.

Soubi woke up from his stupor suddenly and shouted at his opponent.

"_I am Beloved, I am Loveless. I am the Sentoki, the protector of all that you hold dear. Our purity defeats you black heart!"_

Seimei raised his hand to this nonchalantly, speaking in a dark monotone.

"_I protect what I hold dear, my heart is tainted red with hate. My heart in not black with Evil. You have not the will nor the ability to protect what I love."_

The light being emitted from Soubi's words vanished into the atmosphere like smoke, and the world around him turned a deep crimson.

"_This world is evil, a disgusting red like the blood of the innocents you've slaughtered." "I will destroy this make it pure."_

Soubi Stated this with utter clarity, attacking Seimei with his best will.

Seimei laughed menacingly, his gazed deep with satisfaction.

Soubi buckled.

"_You are nothing. You can never purify me; you have no power, no control. I will own you! You will submit to me and be destructed! Be engulfed by my hate and fell the fires of my soul conquer everything you've come to believe. I will make you sick with the taint of my inner heart and you will submit to defeat!"_

Ritsuka cried out in anguish and the chains about him squeezed the life out of his neck and chest. He coughed as he fell to his knees and lost consciousness.

"Ritsuka!" Soubi cried, reaching out for his sacrifice.

Soubi turned to face Seimei but was suddenly struck with surprise as he saw his opponent's face. It was a face of horror and…fright? Seimei was scared?

Seimei walked over to where Ritsuka lay and bent down to him, gently holding his brother's face in his hands.

"Get away from-." Soubi was cut off by a gaze so heated with anger Soubi choked on his words.

"How dare you tell me what to do with my brother! Look at you! You're a failure Soubi!" Seimei gathered Ritsuka in his arms and slowly rose to his feet.

"I was a fool to ever think I could leave him in your care. You're not worthy to be my brother's sentoki, you can't even protect him! God damn you Soubi."

Seimei clutched Ritsuka's sleeping form in his arms, and turned to leave.

"He's mine any way, he's always been mine. I love him Soubi."

With that statement Soubi watched Seimei leave with his sacrifice cradled in his arms. There was nothing Soubi could say or do to fix it…there was no way to get back the best thing that ever happened to him. He was taken in the most violent fashion, and now Ritsuka was being carried away from him like a child in Seimei's arms.


	3. 3: Too much to ask for

Ritsuka awake groggily, rubbing his eyes and yawning. He looked around the small room he was sleeping in, it was rather little and dimly lit but it was very comfortable. Ritsuka stared at the beige wall paneling famed by dark cherry wood. The room was so warm and it smelled fragrantly like soft vanilla.

Ritsuka sighed deeply, he hadn't slept to well in ages, but the rising suspicion that he was not in Kansas anymore was beginning to make him worry. The sixteen year old boy sat up in the strange bed and threw the covers off of his legs. He was about to stand up to investigate and he heard something moving around from behind the door. Ritsuka froze suddenly, holding his breath.

The door knob turned slowly and Ritsuka gasped to see his older brother bump the door open with his hip; his hands pull with clothes and a cup of coffee. Ritsuka knit his brows together.

"S-Seimei...what's going on?"

Seimei's ears flattened and he sat next to his little brother on the bed.

"These clothes were mine in high school, they still might be a little long in you, but you can roll up the sleeves." Seimei placed the folded garments in Ritsuka's arms carfuly.

Ritsuka looked up at him, confused.

"Where am I Seimei? Where's Soubi?"

Seimei frowned, unknwoingly looking menacing.

Ritsuka's eye's widened.

"The battle didn't go well Ritsuka, he can't protect you...I took you back." Seimei's features softened, making him look younger.

"What do you mean it didn't go well?! Is Soubi Ok?!" Ritsuka yanked on the sleeve of Seimei's white button up shirt. Seimei sighed exasperatedly.

"Don't worry I didn't hurt him. I Simply stoped the battle after you fell...and I realized how uncapable Soubi is for caring for you."

"I can care for my self Soubi I'll be an adult soon enough...and I think It's my descion whether or not I want to stay with my fighter unit, Seimei."

Seimei narrowed his eyes and looked into Ritsuka's features.

"He's not your fighter unit, Ritsuka. Your fighter unit is other there somewhere. , and because of Soubi you'll never find him or her your self!"

Ritsuka looked at his brother incredulously, furrowing his brow.

"Seimei! When you left him for me and faked your death he became mine! You can't just say he's yours when ever you want. He's a person!"

Seimei handed the cup of coffee to Ritsuka and stood up, facing his brother with an angry.

"Before you go declaring such thing maybe you should know what the hell your talking about. Maybe you should let me tell what the real truth is...maybe then you will understand me."

Ritsuka jumped to his feet and reached out to Seimei, a look of shock on his boyish features.

"Wait! ...Seimei.. you'll tell me the truth?"

Seimei turned to him and nodded..and for once Ritsuka thought he looked like his brother again.

~*~

Ritsuka escaped the room after dressing in Seimei's old black turtleneck and faded jeans. They werent really baggy on him just much too long, so like his brother said he roled the pants up at the bottom. He open the door from his room and light flooded his sight, Seiemi's apartment was small but beautifuly simple. there was a sliding glass door in the living area that was open letting fresh winter air blillow through the blue gey curtians. Eveything was so neat and pristene looking.

Ritsuka went to where the kitchen area was and sat at the bar, watching his brother walk around busyily preparing food.

Just the atmosphere lightened Ritsuka's mood, everything was so Seimei...but not the evil killer Seimei. Just Seimei. The smells of the place was so comforting it was like being at home.

"What are you making?" Ritsuka asked, sniffing.

Seimei shruged, looking over he shoulder.

"omlette?"

Ritsuka's eyes widened.

"Really?! Like the kind you used to make on sundays?!"

Seimei laughed a little and nodded, his back to his little brother.

"Yeah, like that."

The two made small talk for a while, chatting a little about Ritsuka's grades and tastes in books.

When Seimei placed the omlete in front of him, he sighed.

"So, little brother...the truth."

~*~

"It all has to do with Mom and Mr. Ritsu...all of this, everything. All of the killing, the lies, and betrayl...can all be traced back to them."

"Mother was Father's sacrifice and the went to school with Mr. Ritsu. After Misaki married Father and I came along things became hard in their relatioship. The marrage was pretty much arranged my the old headmaster of Seven Voices Academy, Ritsu'a father. But the whole time, although Misaki loved Father as her Sentoki, but she was really in love with ."

Ritsuka sat silently as though this was a school lesson, not daring to interupt the teacher.

"Ritsuka, this gonna be hard to swallow...and remeber that I kept this from you for good reasons. Ritsuka, we don't share the same father."

Ritsuka's eyes widened in shock, he barly had the ability to swallow the omlette he was eating.

"Mr. Ritsu?" The boy coughed.

"Ritsu is your biological Father. He and Misaki had an afair while I was in the headstart program at Seven Voices. Then whne mom found out that she was gonna have you, she just let Father believe it was his. And for a long time he did."

Ritsuka wasn't sure why but he felt betrayed, by his mother, Ritsu Sensei, and even a bit by Seimei. The boy flattened his ears and looked up at his older brother, even sitting there in just a plain white shirt and boxers he seemed...beautiful. Ritsuka bowed his head a bit and sighed.

"There's more?"

Seimei picked up his cup of coffee and nodded, sipping slowly, his back back straight and his shoulderes pulled back.

"Well, Ritsu does know he's your father. He's know from the start Ritsuka, and when I was a child...I wasn't a stupid child. I figured out what was going on because I was constantly spying on them alone in Ritsu's lab. I knew that they were together because I saw them kissing one another, in a way I'd never seen her kiss Father."

"You see Ritsuka, I was always a curious child. I would often sneak around and spy on mother because I wondered why she was always at my school when she didn't work there. When I found out she was gonna have you I didn'y put two and two together ofcourse, because I was still even a little young for that. But as Misaki got bigger and you grew in her, I noticed them doing strange things in the lab. I found out when I got a little older that ,secretly, they had been doing exparaments on you while you were delveloping inside of Mother..."

Ritsuka gasped and covered his mouth, he felt sick all of the sudden. Reeling, he reached out for his glass of orange juice, and gripped it in his hand. He was about to try and lift it, shakily but he felt a warm hand rest on top of his. Seimei was on one knee in front of Ritsuka and he lifted the glass to his brother's lips.

"Hey there...I'm sorry I knew this was gonna be hard for you. But it hasn't done anything to you. You're just perfect, and healthy, what ever they tried to do failed ok. Don't let this scare you.

Ritsuka sipped and then took a deep breath, calming himself.

"O-ok...please tell me what happened next."

Seimei nodded and then rose to his feet, going back to his chair.

"They did these exparaments up until Misaki was in the hospital giving birth to you. I remeber not being interested in seeing you really...how was I supposed to know who you'd be to me. That you'd mean everything to me. Anyway I remeber thinking after they had injected all those things into Mother, into you, that you'd have to come out being like some kind of monster, and I was curious. But when I saw you..."

Seimei's head was bowed for a moment, his long feathery tresses sliding down hsi shoulder.

"You were perfect, you weren't crying...I crwaled into the bed with Mother and there you were, the largest most innocent eyes I had ever seen... looking at me with a real love. And Ritsuka I returned that same gaze, I loved you from the moment I met you...you were not Ritsu's gift, or Mother's, you were made for me...my gift."

Ritsuka stared at his brothe with wide eyes, a deep blush burning his cheeks.

"I-I love you Seimei..."

Seimei looked up through his bangs at him with a somber smile.

"I love you, Ritsuka."

They sat in a comfortable silence for a moment and then Seimei began with the story again.

"Well, everything seemed to be fine, Mother hid her secret about you from Father and she stopped talking to Ritsu and going to my school so much. She was very taken with you Ritsuka. But, of course I tryed my best to keep you to myself when I could, I just wanted to protect you little brother, I didn't trust Mother and Father was always a bit distant."

"I continued to excell in Seven Voices and I knew Ritsu was keeping an eye on me, for a long time he was perocupied with his new play thing anyway and he seemed to forget about Mother. I believe it was because his Sentoki had died, and Soubi, was her left Soubi in his care and he saw to making him powerful like his mother was."

Ritsuka sucked in a suprised breath, covering his mouth.

"That makes so much sense Seimei! Does Soubi know this?"

Seimei nodded.

"I think that's why he tried to hard to please Minami Ritsu. He wanted to do it for his mother and because he eventually fell in some kind of love with Ritsu."

"What?!"

"Yes, he let Ritsu take his ears and he wanted to become Ritsu's sentoki so badly in his mother's place that when he met me he didn't even want to leave with me."

Seimei shrugged.

"Soubi was important to me, I never loved him, but you have to understand, unlike you, I was chosen for Soubi by Ritsu a man I deeply hated and I never intedned to do anything that vile creature wanted me to do. So miss treat Soubi...I might have but I don't see it that way, he didn't want me either, we were substitues in a way. He wanted Ritsu and I wanted to avenge my grudge so badly I could taste my plan unfolding beneith me; and Ritsu nor Soubi could fathom what I had in mind."

RItsuka frowned, running a hand through his tangled hair.

"I didn't know it was like that with you two...I thought you were closer than that, Soubi had seemed so attached to you, so hurt by your death."

"He was attached to me, after all of the battling we had done for septimal moon and after all of time I had to spend with him fashioning my plans... he wanted to please me just like he had wished toplease Ritsu and he thought in doing so, in becoming exceptionally strong he would please him finally. But someting terrible happened a few days after your tenth birthday Ritsuka...and it was all caused by Ritsu."

"You and I were off playing in your room, I was trying to teach you how to draw I remeber. There was a heavy knock at the door and I told you to stay in the room, I guess I just had a bad feeling. I came into the living room and I hid behind the corner and listened to a conversation between Ritsu, Father and Misaki. Ritsu was claiming that he wanted you and Misaki to be his and that he was gonna take you from me and Father. Father was increadibly outraged to learn that not only had Mother betrayed him but that his youngest son was not his."

"I was so bust listening to the raised voices that I hadn't noticed that You had come out of your room to investigate. You walked in on all of them arguing and I remeber feeling my heart jump into my throat. MIsaki said she would never leave with Ritsu and that she wanted her family the way it was."

"Father on the other hand, was loosing his mind with rage. Ritsu left right after mother had said what she said and Father had wanted her to leave with him. She said no and the she would't leave her Sentoki so then...Father did the unthinkable, he cut thier bond to one another, forever."

"You can do that?! Why didn't you just do that to Nisei...instead of killing him?"

Seimei shook his head at his brother's remark

"It's less painful to kill the other than to cut their bond, cutting is so psychlogically painful that it's what made Misaki go insane. That's why Mother is the way she is, and why Father can barley bare to be home. But that's not the worst. Ritsuka, you witnessed this and Father saw you standing there...he-he went after you. I knew I had to do what I did... I couldn't let Father get away from attacking you."

Ritsuka's eye's widened in fear at his brother's words.

"Seimei you didn't..."

Seimei bowed his head and then he looked up at his brother with features so brilliantly feindish...a smile so cruel that Ritsuka shivered.

"Yes, I'm the one that put thos scares across Father's face."

~*~

After learning that his brother had carved the word punishment across thier father's face, he also learned that the damage he had received from the attack had put him into a coma for two days and had also caused him to loose his memory.

Ritsuka was now waching TV in his brother's living area, waiting for him to get out of the shower and also just trying not to think about the fact that he was working for the man who had ruined his family...and whom had also fathered him.

Ritsuka ran his fingers through his hair and tried to pull his hair up in a messy ponytail, using a red ribbon he found tied around a scented candle as a tie. He sighed letting his back rest aginst the pilows.

Seimei entered the room in a pair of boxers with a twoel draped around his arm. He sat next to Ritsuka on the couch and proceded to towle try his long wavy hair.

"So Ritsuka, I was thinking...I know you've kind of had a crappy morning...do you want to maybe go out for a bit? I havn't done so in a very, very long time. I'd really like to just...spend some time with you that isn't so unpleasant. I want to do something casual."

Ritsuka looked at Seimei with startled features.

"Like... go around town?"

Seimei nodded.

"Sure, I want to go out and eat...and I just want to visit a few stores maybe."

Ritsuka's ears popped up.

"Like a book shop?! or an antique shop?!"

Siemei laughed, rubbing Ritsuka's head.

"Ritsuka like's antique shops? That's so cute."

Ritsuka flattened his ears.

"Not ah..." He blushed.

~*~

"Sou-chan! Get up off of your ass! we have to find Ritsuka!" Kio kicked Soubi's shoe.

Soubi rolled over on the couch.

"I've already tried to find him Kio, I have no idea where he is...and if I do show my face around where they might be he'll kill me Kio, really kill me."

Kio rolled hs eyes and sat on the couch next to his sulking friend, pulling Soubi's legs over his lap.

"I know, I know. I-I just feel like we should be doing something. He could be hurting him..."

Soubi looked up at KIo and pursed his lips.

"He would never hurt Ritsuka, Kio. I know what he has done to me but...he'd never do that to Ritsuka."

Kio riased a brow.

"How on earth do you know that?!"

Soubi sighed.

"Because Ritsuka is Seimei's world. Everything he's done everything he plans...in the end it's for his brother. The night Minami...well when I lost my ears, Minami felt he had done this horrible act, he was ashamed of himself, for being with a boy...for being with his he went to Ritsuka's mother's house and tried to be some kind of parent or something I don't know exactly why he did it...but in the end Ritsuka's dad found out the Ritsuka wasn't his and he attacked him...that's why he lost his memeory."

"How doesthis have to do with Seimei?"

"Well, because Seimei saw what was going on and he beat his Father half to death and then carved the word "Punishment" diagnally across his face."

Kio's face whitened.

"How did you end up with a freak like that Sou-chan? He's such a creep and he sound like he has a little brother complex. It's weird, can't you and Rit-chan have normal friends like me and Yuiko and Yayoi?"

Soubi frowned, looking up at his friend's face.

"Hey...I thought you all were our friends?"

Kio laughed.

"We are!"

~*~

"I love this icecream!" Ritsuka bounded happily down the street next to his brother.

Seimei sucked on a popcile, his other hand in the pocket of his long black jacket.

"Isn't it cold for this kind of sweets Ritsuka?"

RItsuka shrugged.

"I don't car really, my jacket is warm."

Seimei laughed, almost spitting out his red popcile juice.

"You're so young still so young, you havn't changed much my little brother."

Ritsuka frowned.

"I have too changed! I know my favorite type of music now and I've even drank wine with Soubi and Kio."

Seimei knit his brow together.

"That Soubi...trying to take advantage of you! I should have known he'd try to do that to you. What is your favorite music Ritsuka?"

RItsuka grinned.

"I love the Funk!"

Seimei coughed in his laugh, wiping the corner of his mouth.

"Hah! You're so funny Ritsuka, I would have never guessed."

"I still remeber your favorite kind of music Seimei...you like Western 80's music."

Seimei smiled softly.

"you're right."

Seimei smiled slyly, and then leaned over to his brother's strawberry icecream cone and bit down on it, much to ritsuka's dismay.

"HEY!"

Seimei laughed, wiping the icecream fromhis chin with his sleeve.

They walked in a comfortable silence, watching the sky grow darker.

Seimei sighed.

"So I guess I'm still a bit suprised to see that you hadn't given you ears to Soubi...why havn't you?"

Ritsuka blushed suddenly.

"I-I dunno. I mean it's not like that! I mean I've thought about it...but the timing was never right. I'm just not sure that I want to give that to Soubi."

Seimei looked perplexed.

"Do you love him..."

Ritsuka looked at his brother meaningfuly.

"I do, but not in the way you mean. At least not yet. I don't find myself thinking like that about him...I don't know if I've ever thought about anyone like that to be honest."

Seimei let out a breath.

They were quiet for a moment and then Ritsuka bit his lip.

"Seimei...why do you still have your ears? Havn't you ever thought about giving them to someone?"

His older brother seemed to be thinking carfully, his ears pressed pressed flat to his head.

"Ritsuka, I only have one person in this world I could ever imagine giving myself to. And...that's too much to ask for."


	4. 4: Beautiful

It was dark by the time the two had gotten back to Seimei's appartment. they were laughing witch had much to do with reminicing.

"Hhahaha, and you remeber when I was in the bath that one time and you were comming in to check on me and I pulled you in?! Your pajamas were all wet!"

Seimei laughed at his brothers coment.

"Heh yeah I counld ever stay mad at you..."

Ritsuka pulled off his sweater and hung it by the hood on seimei's coat rack. Seimei did the same, pulling off his black and purple striped scarf.

"Where's your room Seimei? Is it ok if I see it?"

Seimei looked up from the mail he was looking through.

"Oh, sure. It's that door on the right...here I'll show you." Seimei put down his mail and slipped off his shoes, heading toward his bedroom door.

Ritsuka followed curiously behind him.

Seimei open the door to his room, holding it open for his brother to walk through.

"This is my room..."

Ritsuka looked around a brath cought in his throat. This was the place Seimei spent his time when he was missing...here was were he slpet and read his books and this was were he kept everything personal that belonged to him.

"It remeinds me of your room at home...everythings so clean and in place. I always tired to keep my room that way too."

Seimei sat on his large bed covered in a fluffy white comforter. Rutsuka sat next to him.

"Wow this is so comfortable! what's in it?"

"It's goose downe, it's very comfortable." Seimei layed back against his pile of white and blue pillows.

Ritsuka looked down at him, perplexed.

"what is it Ritsuka?'

"Do you think I'm named after Ritsu?"

Seimei lifted a brow.

"Has that been bothering you?"

Ritsuka shrugged, looking away for a moment.

"Ritsuka...honestly I'd like to say no because I love your name, but I don't know the answer to that one."

Ritsuka sighed, nodding.

They sat in silence for a moment, both deep in thought. Ritsuka felt sadened at the thought that he maybe named after Minami Ritsu sensei, but perhapse if Seimei liked his name the way it was...it was ok.

"Let's go to the living room again..." Seimei sugested, sitting up.

Ritsuka nodded, letting his hair out of it's hold and shaking it loose.

"Soubi teach you that one?"

"Hm?" Ritsuka asked looking up at his brother. They were suddenly close.

Ritsuka's eyes widened and he blushed.

Seimei riased a brow.

"What's wrong?"

Ritsuka put his hand up, shaking it off.

"Hah, no he didn't...well maybe. I did like the way his hair looks when it's up."

Seimei hmphed.

"Oh Seimei, don't be like that. Remeber that I love Soubi, ok, be respectful."

Seimei got off of his bed and then suddenly picked Ritsuka up, throwing him over his shoulder.

"Come now Ritsuka, I said we should go into the livingroom."

"Seimei!! Put me down! I could have just walked!" Ritsuka kicked his legs around.

Seimei just laughed musically, amused.

~*~

"Kio, relax it's just an email."

"Easy for you to say sou-chan I saw your face when you opened it. Do you think it's really him?"

Soubi and Kio were gathered around Kio's laptop running thier eyes over an e-mal Ritsuka had sent them.

"Yeah, it's the way Ritsuka writes. He seems fine..."

Kio rolled his eyes.

"I just have a weird feeling about this Sou-chan. I don't trust Seimei Aoyagi...at all."

"The E mail says they're just catching up...and not to worry about him." Soubi raised a brow.

"Who would want to catch up witht that weirdo...I could hear it now 'hey Seimei what have you been up to?' 'Oh, me? nothing really I've just been killing puppies and raping virgins. How are you little brother?' Ughh...He's so creepy."

Soubi rolled his eyes.

"I'm sure Seimei at the very least doesn't rape virgins...I don't think he even thinks about sex at all actully. I mean he's 21 and he still has his ears. Not even once did he even hint at being sexual attracted to anyone...or anything for that matter."

Kio crossed his arms, his face showing his disaproval.

"Well I'm sure you would have slept with him if he had wanted to!"

Soubi shrugged.

"Probably."

"SOU-CHAN!"

Soubi laughed and pushed Kio over with his elbow.

"Hey!" Kio exclaimed. "Don't get mad at me, you'll have sex with an evil pervert but you won't even have sex with me!"

Soubi raised a brow.

"I won't will I?"

Kio's eyes widened.

Soubi just closed the laptop and scooted it off his lap, getting off of the floor.

Kio watched his face in a bit of awe.

"Sou-chan?" Kio watched as Soubi ignored him and went into his and Ritsuka's bedroom.

"Sou-chan?! Hey! What was that supposed to mean?! SOU-CHAN!"

Kio fell over onto the couch cushion on the floor, grumling.

~*~

Ritsuka was smiling, sitting on the couch with his legs crossed watching Seimei with his hand underneith his chin.

Seimei finished his tea and set his tea cup aside.

"Oolong tea, is it still your favorite Ritsuka?"

Ritsuka was shaken out of his stupor, his brother's smooth voice capturing his attention.

"Hm, oh, yes it is." Ritsuka smiled half heartedly.

Seimei furrowed his brow.

"Everything ok?"

Ritsuka looked at the floor and nodded.

"Yes, I'm just wondering if Soubi is alright and everything. He seemed pretty worried in his E mail."

Seimei's face immidatly took on a cold deminor.

Ritsuka made a disapproving face.

"Seimei, you can't be like this...Soubi is my friend."

Seimei frowned.

"Soubi is not your friend Ritsuka."

Ritsuka's jaw dropped and he stood up, immidiatly angered by his brother's words.

"He is my friend Seimei and if you respect me at all you'll stop making comments like that...if you care for my feelings."

Seimei stood up too, towering over his younger brother.

"And if you care at all about my feelings you'll stop brining Soubi up ay all, I dont care to hear about how close you've grown."

Ritsuka frowned confused a bit.

"I don't understand you Seimei! Why does it bother you if I bring him up...why is it bad that we're friends?! Ritsuka took a step forward grabbing Seimei's wrist.

Seimei's eyebrows shot up.

"I-Ritsuka..."

Ritsuka suddenly wrapped his arms tightly around Seimei's narrow waist hugging his face to his brother's hard chest.

"I love you Seimei, I missed you so much... don't ever leave me again you idiot!"

Seimei held Ritsuka to him tightly, cherishing their closeness, holding him.

Ritsuka looked up at brother's sadened features and he bit his lip fealing his heart skip a beat. He raised his hands up between them and pushed hard against his brother's chest, sending them bother sprawing out onto the floor.

Seimei's eyes widened and he looked at his brother with confusion on his features. Ritsuka sat up and pulled himself closer to seimei's face from between his older brother's chest. He could feel Seimei's heart banging in his chest.

"You wanted this didn't you...you wanted to give your self to me Seimei..."

Seimei gasped, his breathing becoming panicked.

"Ritsuka I don't to of you do-."

Seimei was cut off by Ritsuka's sudden kiss, the kiss wasn't soft or sweet like he imagined his brother might kiss him, it was a kiss that was rough. Ritsuka plunged his tongue into seimei's mouth sensually, placing a hand on the back of Seimei's neck. Seimei's eyes were wide with shock and his cheeks were deeply red.

Seimei's breath caught in his throat as he kissed back, exploring Ritsuka's mouth. Seimei moaned as their kiss deepened, arching his back.

Ritsuka began to pant, his breathing was so ragged from his excitment that he thought his heart was gonna jump out of his chest. he ran his hands up the side of Seimei's hips, making his brother gasp. Seimei opened his eyes slightly to look at his younger brothers features. Ritsuka had his eyes shut ever so lighty and his cheeks here flushed with lust. The sight made Seimei groan, he flattened his ears to his head as he continued to kiss Ritsuka deeply.

He placed a hand on his brother's lower back, pushing Ritsuka's hips between his legs. Ritsuka stopped kissing him long enough to gasp at the warm contact their bodies had made. Seimei sat back from being on his elbow and laid down fully on the soft carpet. he put his other hand in Ritsuka's hair applying gental pressure to their kiss. Ritsuka pressed himself harder between Seimei's legs and his brother moaned suddenly at the act.

Seimei pulled away from the kiss and looked into ritsuka's eyes, searching. Ritsuka blinked at him and bit his lip, as he waited for his brother to say something.

"Ritsuka...Do you...you really want me." Seimei's cheeks burned, his beautiful eyes deep with arousal. Ritsuka's breath caught in his throat.

"Seimei...right now you're beautiful." Ritsuka bent down and kissed Seimei's soft neck, brushing his lovley hair away from his face. Seimei whimpered.

"I don't think I can stand much more of this Ritsuka..." Seimei said huskily, running his hand lightly down Ritsuka's back and up under his shirt.

Ritsuka had never felt so aroused, he was scared but...he never realized how badly he wanted this, or how good it would feel to kiss Seimei like this.

"Will this hurt Seimei?" Ritsuka asked his brother sitting up between Seimei's legs.

Seimei looked away his arousal apparent on his features.

"I- I dont know..."

Seimei ran his hands through Ritsuka's hair lovingly, stopping to rub behind his brother's ears.

"These will be gone you know...forever. Do you really want to give me this?"

Ritsuka bit his lip and nodded slowly.

"I do...I love you like that Seimei." Ritsuka blushed further and looked away. "Can we do it soon...the pressure is begining to hurt..."

Seimei raised his eyebrows.

"Yes..."

Seimei sat up and pulled Ritsuka into an embrace, then standing up, he carried Ritsuka into his bedroom, laying him on the bed.

Ritsuka's older brother turned off the light, leaving a bit of light coming from the slightly cracked door to illuminate the bedroom. Seimei crawled on the bed and situated himself between Ritsuka's legs gently. Ritsuka sucked in a breath as seimei pulled his long sleeve shirt over head and and threw it to the floor. Ritsuka stared Seimei was so impressive, so lovley. His bare chest aroused feeling that Ritsuka hadn't even thought of when he had seen Seimei shirtless earlier that day.

Seimei pulled Ritsuka's turtle neck over his head and tossed it on the floor as well. He kissed sloppily over his brother's chest, to aroused to realize that he was occasionally biting Ritsuka on the neck and chest.

"Hnn..uh, Seimei..." Ritsuka moaned, covering his eyes with his hand. " That feels..."

Seimei unbuttoned Ritsuka's pants and slid them, along with his boxers, down his legs and off onto the floor.

Ritsuka gasped at the cool air on his naked body, he heard Seimei groan in appriciation.

Ritsuka sat up and reached to Seimei's jeans, unbuttoning them and yanking them over his hips. His eyes widened as he saw Seimei's nakedness...it was so strange to seem him like this, but Ritsuka reveled in it. He want to know every part of Seimei...and he realized with a sudden revelation...that he was in love with his older brother.

"Hnn.. Ritsuka." Seimei pleaded huskily.

Ritsuka looked up at him and brushed his hair away from his face gently. Seimei looked down at his brother with expectant eyes full of emotion and intensity.

Seimei took controll of the situation, he pushed Ritsuka down gently, running his hands down his little brother's chest and over his hips. He pulled this pants and boxers the rest of the way off, letting thme slide to the floor. He then bent down and kissed Ritsuka softly, barley parting his lips with his tongue.

He was begining to really see what Ritsuak was talking about when he said the pressure was starting to hurt. He wanted to have sex with him so badly now he felt like he might go wrapped his hand around Ritsuka's erection tightly and the covered it with his mouth.

Ritsuka pulled at the bed covers, feeling himself pulse.

"Please Seimei!" Ritsuka pleaded. "Let have sex now...please..."

Seimei ran his tounge over the tip of Ritsuka's erection and then looked up his brother's face. He looked like he was in agony. Seimei smiled playfully.

"I agree, I feel like this is driving me crazy..."

Seimei thought for a moment and then leaned over to his side table drawer, searching for something. He found a small jar of vasaline and he dipped his fingers in it.

"This should work..." Seimei wispered to himself, applying it to his arousal.

Ritsuka stared in wonder, his eyebrows knit together.

Seimei pulled Ritsuka's legs over his own and then reached down softly touching Ritsuka's ass.

Ritsuka's blushed burned his cheeks and he sucked in a sudden breath.

"Does this hurt little brother?" He asked slipping two fingers inside of him.

Ritsuka bit his lip.

"Hmnn...It feels weird...but not painful."

Seimei nodded and then reached up to Ritsuka's hips, pulling them up toward him.

Seimei's hands were shaking as his pushed the tip of his erection inside of brother gasped as he felt Seimei's width inside of him. Seimei moaned loudly as he pushed himslef fully inside of the yonger boy. He pulled out a little and then thrusted fully into him again.

"Hhhuh...fuck...this feels really good."Seimei panted huskily.

Ritsuka groaned in agreeance.

Seimei leanded down and kissed Ritsuka sweetly, touching his hair softly. He couldn't believe he was doing this...he had thought about it before, but he had always tried to stop himself. he knew it was wrong, he knew he shouldn't think of his little brother that way...but he loved him...really loved him.

Seimei began thrusting in him a bit slowly at first, the feeling of being inside of Ritsuka was a bit hard to manage. This was so new, so unknown for both of them, he just wanted to do this right...and to remeber everything about this night, every last detail.

"Seimei..." Ritsuka whimpered in the pillow as he felt every inch of Seimei fill him over and over again, each thrust faster than the next.

Ritsuka looked up at his brother's face, it was so beautiful in extacy like this, his eyes shut tight, his teeth diging into his bottom lip.

"Oh!" Seimei gasped as he fucked Ritsuka faster, his hands wrapped tightly around his little brother's hips, pulling them up to meet each thrust.

Ritsuka was proccupied with how his erection was pressed against Seimei's chest and the everytime he thrust into him, he could feel Seimei's stomache muscles rub against him. His arousal was, becoming for and more sensitive with each thrust of Seimei's hips, it began to feel better and better.

Ritsuka started to pant, he thrust his hips upward against the warmth of Seimei's stomache. He did it over and over until he cried out suddenly and came against his older brother's chest.

Seimei's eyes widened and he sucked in a ragged breath.

"Hnn.." Seimei whimpered as he shut his eyes tightly, he dug his nails inot Ritsuka's hips as he felt his body stiffen.

Ritsuka moaned as he felt Seimei pulsing inside of him.

Seimei let out a tired sigh, resting his fore head against Ritsuka's.

Ritsuka's eyes met with his and he smiled weakly.

Ritsuka smiled back, wiping Seimei's wet bangs from his face.

~*~

Seimei smiled over his little brother's sleeping form under his downe comforter.

He reached up to his headand felt the naked spot where his old ears used to be. Seimei missed them a bit, he just felt strange with out them. Seimei looked at Ritsuka's ears, they must be loos by now, he thought to himself.

Seimei gently reached dwon and pulled at Ritsuka's ears, they came off without much effort. He did the same with Ritsuka's tail, barley applying pressure. Now you look like an adult...Seimei thought with a somber smile.

"That was beautiful little brother." Seimei whispered.


	5. 5: Keep a Hold on being Human

Ritsuka awoke drowsily, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. He noticed a warm body laying next to him and he raised a brow, looking at the figure.

Oh. Ritsuka smiled. It's Seimei.

His brother moved a bit beneath the soft comforter, sighing in sleep. Seimei's long dark hair was tied back loosely, strands off it falling out onto the pillow. Ritsuka sighed contently.

He still felt so strange after the last night's events. He had only been with his brother for a week now and he felt like he had never left him. He had missed this part of Seimei so deeply, that, to remember what it was like when he was gone, made Ritsuka wretch with pain.

Making love to his brother hadn't been as hard as he thought it might be. Ritsuka had imagined that Seimei would be rough with him and cause Ritsuka a great deal of pain... considering what a Sadist he figured his brother to be. But Seimei was gentle and so loving, it was almost startling to think that, after how he had touched him, that Seimei had brutally murdered people.

Ritsuka had thought allot about what his brother had done over the last couple of days, about him killing Nisei, him trying to cut out Ritsu's eyes, and that he had carved "Punishment" into his own father's face. But he had decided that he really was in love with Seimei, and that although it wasn't right, Seimei had his reasons for doing what he did. And if that meant coming to terms with that fact that his brother was a Sociopath, then he would do what he could for Seimei. Because, it seemed to Ritsuka, that Seimei had been like this way before he had come along.

His brother stirred in his sleep, turning over to face Ritsuka's side of the bed. Seimei yawned and opened his eyes, looking sleepily up at Ritsuka.

"Good morning big brother." RItsuka smiled.

Seimei raised a brow, pulling the covers back over his shoulder.

"Morning my Ritsuka, how do you feel?" Seimei asked, his voice husky with sleep.

Ritsuka shrugged.

"Just fine I suppose...if I were to answer truthfully, I am a bit sore."

Seimei sat up pulling his hair out of it's loose hold.

"I'm sorry about that, I tried to be gentile, but I suppose it was inevitable that you might be uncomfortable the morning after."

Ritsuka looked at his brother thoughtfully, and nodded.

"Yeah, I thought it might hurt worse actually... but that Vaseline helped alot." Ritsuka frowned and then knit his brows together. "By the way, Seimei, why on earth did you have a jar of Vaseline in your bedside drawer?"

Seimei coughed suddenly, caught off guard.

"Huh, Erm...I sometimes get chapped lips when I wake up...so yeah."

Ritsuka looked at him curiously.

"Really? then why was there so much gone?!"

"There wasn't that much gone!" Seimei retorted. "Any way, I wanted to ask you how it felt to be an adult now."

Ritsuka stopped picking at his brother and thought for a moment.

"An adult...Oh!" Ritsuka reached up to his head and sucked in a surprised breath. "My ears! They're gone!"

Seimei laughed softly.

"Where did they go? Did they just disappear?"

Seimei raised a brow.

"No silly Ritsuka, I took them off for you after you fell asleep. You went right to sleep underneath me."

Ritsuka's eyes widened and he blushed slightly.

"Oh, I'm sorry Seimei. Doing all of that just made me so tired."

Seimei smiled and pet Ritsuka's hair.

"Don't be silly Ritsuka, it was quite alright. It was cute. Anyhow, do I look strange?"

Seimei rubbed his naked head. Ritsuka studied him for a moment, his hand on his chin.

"Hmmm...Well I think you look handsome, and a bit older now, I suppose, but not strange."

Seimei nodded.

"You look much more mature now Ritsuka, it's funny how just loosing you ears actually made you look your age."

Ritsuka gaped at him, offended.

"I didn't look sixteen yesterday?! and you still had sex with me?!"

Seimei burst out laughing, covering his mouth.

"Oh Ritsuka, despite the way you looked yesterday, you acted as if you might be older than sixteen."

Ritsuka blushed deeply.

"I-I guess I did sort of surprise you Seimei."

His brother nodded at him, crossing his arms.

"I can't say I enjoyed being pushed to the ground, but I guess having you kiss me like that made up for how rough you were."

Ritsuka sighed, a smile on his lips as he remembered the events of the night prior.

"Ritsuka, why did you...I mean-." Seimei let out a breath. "Do you love me, I mean...as a lover does. Or was that some kind of favor."

Ritsuka frowned at his brother disapprovingly.

"Seimei, I wouldn't give myself to anyone as a favor. I-I was just thinking about what you said that day we got icecream...how you had implied that you only wanted me to be with, to give your ears to me. I thought about other people you could have done it with, Soubi, Nisei, whoever...and I felt myself get jealous, angry even. Then I remember I kept wondering what it would be like to kiss you, since you seemed like you wanted to kiss me; and then when all that stuff with Soubi happened and we argued, I knew I was just mad because I felt guilty...because Soubi really wanted to take my ears...and I wanted to give myself to you. So I kissed you and you wanted me back...and while we were kissing I realized that I did love you...like a lover does."

Seimei sighed, a slight blush staining his cheeks.

"Good, because I really wanted to tell you...that I think you are beautiful...and I wanted to tell you that I wanted to be your lover."

Ritsuka looked up at Seimei in awe, feeling his heart skip a beat.

"Like- like a boyfriend?"

Seimei raised a brow, thinking.

"Well, I feel as though we are already much closer than a boyfriend might be. Let's be lovers, exclusive to one another, and vow to be together like this. Despite the fact that we are brothers and it's wrong."

Ritsuka looked down, just now feeling a bit of guilt for committing incest.

"I want that too Seimei...I want to be your lover and I'll take a vow for you."

Seimei smiled feeling his cheeks flood with warmth.

"I'm glad."

~*~

Seimei walked out of the kitchen and handed Ritsuka bowl of rice pudding, sitting across from him, he sipped his hot tea.

"By the way Ritsuka, I forgot to tell you, I have some things I have to handle in Osaka, I wont be back for about four weeks."

Ritsuka looked up suddenly, frowning.

"What?! Why so long?!"

Seimei set his cup down and sighed, brushing his hair off of his shoulder.

"It's not a big deal, really Ritsuka. I Have classes to finish there before I transfer back here. I was living there for the passed year while I searched for Nisei. Plus I have to meet with Father."

Ritsuka pursed his lips, looking down at his shoes.

"I hope you don't think I'm gonna stay in this apartment without you, Brother."

Seimei waved his hand.

"No. I figured you would want to got back to Soubi and Kaito. I'll be calling you of course, make no mistake, I don't need Soubi filling you head with whatever garbage spills out of his mouth."

Ritsuka grumbled, crossing his arms. His brother just raised a brow.

"I know, I know, be nice to Soubi. But I'm gonna tell you right now Ritsuka, I am being nice...I was very close to punishing him for failing so miserably at protecting you...but I just let it go, because you're my lover and you say I need to respect your friends."

Ritsuka sighed and nodded at his brother.

"I get it, I know you and Soubi have some kind of weird grudge or something because of the past, but Seimei, I'm gonna be his sacrifice and his friend forever. I love Soubi and I love Kio too. So since you are my lover...you need to promise me you will never hurt them or kill them, Seimei."

Seimei raised his brows in surprise.

"You want me to promise not to kill them?"

Ritsuka nodded.

"Alright Ritsuka, I promise. But with one exception...if Soubi ever hurts you...I don't care what I promise...I will punish him, severely."

Ritsuka bit his lip, if this was as good as Seimei would give him, he would have to take it.

"Fine, punish him or whatever, but never kill him Seimei."

Seimei nodded and ran his fingers though his hair.

"Well I'm going to leave you a key to the apartment, you come here if you ever need to...and here's your phone. My number is in it, call me and I'll be here."

Seimei slid Ritsuka's blackberry across the table in one swift movement. Ritsuka picked it up, looking through it.

"Thank you Seimei..."

Seimei smiled beautifully, his lips curving upward.

"Of course, my love...what's mine is yours now, and I want you to know that I will never keep any secrets from you again...anything you ask I will answer truthfully."

~*~

"Awww Sou-chan! Come on...don't be such a baby!" Kio chased Soubi into his room with a large pointed needle wrapped in plasic in his hand. Soubi tried to shut the bedroom door in Kio's face, but was interrupted by a swift knock on the door.

Their eyes both widened as they stopped in their tracks.

"RITSUKA!" they both shouted in unison.

Kio turned and headed toward the front door, almost tripping over his shoes in middle of the floor.

The green haired boy threw the door opened while Soubi tried to get his shirt over his head.

Ritsuka grinned when he saw Kio's worried face.

"Kio!" he spouted throwing his arm around the older boy.

Soubi ran over to the scene after he got his shirt back on.

"Ritsuka!" Soubi exclaimed at the boy who was still burried in a hug.

He looked to Kio to scold him for hogging his sacrifice, but the look on Kio's face stopped him.

"Why is you face so white, Kio?"

Kio met Soubi's gaze with wide eyes.

"Don't look Sou-chan..."

Ritsuka pulled away from him and made a confused face.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked, looking up at Kio's face.

Soubi gasped.

"Ritsuka, your ears!!!"

~*~

Seimei sat in the resurant chair, his back baord straight and his shoulders set back. He pet his newly cut hair, it was back to the length it was in highschool; just reaching the base of his neck. His Father would complain if he saw how long it had gotten.

"Seimei... you've lost your ears?!"

Seimei smiled momentarily, just quick enough to make his father wonder.

"I have." His son stated.

"Well, Seimei if this is about your mother..."Seimei's father, Ryu, sat up straught, playing with a cloth napkin on the table.

Seimei sat silently, his face stoic.

"No, this has nothing to do with her. You should know that I don't go back there...she still thinks I'm dead."

Ryu's eyes widened.

"I though you said you had Nisei take care of that for you." Seimei's father asked, running his a hand through his hair. It was the same hair that beautifully adornered Seimei's head, although speckled with grey and quite a bit shorter.

"I did...but she figured out that it wasn't me. I don't care now, Father, Ritsuka is out of the house now."

Seimei crossed one of his legs as he watched his father fiddle with his napkin.

"Ritsuka..."

Seimei raised a brow, his face still cold.

"Yes, my brother now lives with Ritsu's old pet, Soubi."

Ryu looked up with confused features, searching his son's dark glower.

"Isn't that your first Sentoki, Seimei?"

Seimei merely nodded.

"Yes, but this isn't about that. I have no intent to discuss the past with you Father. I will just bring up unsavory topics about Ritsu and my so called death and I'm done discussing that with you. Do you understand."

Ryu pursed his lips looking down at the table.

"I understand...then what is this about, son. Is it about Ritsuka, because I don't really want to discuss him with you."

Seimei's eyes became murderous as he glared at his Father.

"After I've never forgiven you for hurting him because your own selfishness, I think you should talk about what or whom ever I decide."

His father looked away from his gaze and sighed, nodding in submission.

"What is it, Seimei...how do you plan on torturing me for this now? Isn't the fact that you ruined my face enough? Itn't it enough that you have me under your thumb?"

Seimei displayed a look of disgust.

"First of all, it will never be enough...you hurt my Ritsuka so badly...he lost he memories. And another thing, you should stop thinking that this is about you."

Ryu looked up at Seimei with confusion.

"Than what about the boy, Seimei?"

Seimei let a small smile play on his lips, his eyes were still hard.

"I'm in love with him."

Ryu coughed on the soda he was sipping, and stared at Seimei, his eyes confused.

"In love? What do yo mean? Like In love, in love?"

Seimei narrowed his eyes,letting the smile disappear.

"Are you stupid? Yes, I mean exactly what I said. I love him and he also loves me."

Ryu donned a looked a sudden anger.

"Aoyagi Seimei...what are you thinking?! He's only fifteen...you can't just confuse him like this, you're five years older than him! He's still impressionable and of course he's going to be that way, he thought you were dead and then you disappeared for three years! He'll do what ever you want him to!"

Seimei sighed, running his hands through his hair.

"Father, Ritsuka is sixteen, he turned sixteen in April..."

"So! That doesn't make what your doing any damn better Seimei. He may not be my child but I can't let you do that to an innocent- Oh god Seimei, you didn't."

"Didn't what?"

"Have sex with your little brother...oh god Seimei, he's just a child..'"

"We did, he took my ears as I took his, but I don't want to discuss my sex life with you. That's disgusting. I wanted tell you about our relationship because it's serious, and because I really wanted you to do something for me."

Ryu knit his brow together, eyes eyes full of torment and sadness.

"Seimei...how did you end up this way? Was it something I did? Your mother? What made you thing you're above everything?! That you can commit statutory rape and Incest in the same sitting and call it love..."

Seimei look up at his Father and his eyes were intense, full of agony and confusion.

"Am I really so horrible father?!" Seimei cried. "Can't I do what is expected of me and still be who I am? I was always like this, always! I've always wanted to hurt people...always wanted to avenge my anger and frustration. Am I hurting Ritsuka by loving him?! I've only been able to be normal with him...be sane with him. Without him I might not keep a hold on being human. I dont want to hurt Ritsuka!"

Seimei looked down at the table, and for the first time in his life, he let himself cry infornt of his father.

Ryu's eyes widen and he reached out to his son but he hesitated, comming just inches away from Seimei's lovley hair.

Seimei looked up suddenly and narrowed his eyes at Ryu, sitting back up.

"I just want you to do one thing Father, and I'll fogive you."

Ryu knit his brow together, looking down at his hands.

"Well, what do want me to do, Seimei."

"I am in love with him, make no mistake. And if Ritsuka ever decideds he doesn't want me anymore...than I will respect his decision. But so you know we're in a relationship. But what I wanted to ask of you...really ask of you and not demand of you..." Seimei sighed. "Please, see Ritsuka. He has no one but soubi and I. He nees to know that you still love him even though he's not really your son."

Ryu looked at his son with startled features.

"What...you want me just to talk to him?"

Seimei nodded.

"I think it's what he needs...and you feel increadbly guitly, perhapse it's what you also need. I don't know, but I know that a child at any age still needs family...and I'm hardly considered that now that I'm his lover. apologize, tell him what happened, do what ever you want, just don't upset him, ok."

Ryu looked up at his son, he was so smart, so promising. What had happened to Seimei to make him so violent and hateful, why did he hurt people.

"Ok, son, I will see him when the time is right."

"I'll be expecting you."

~*~

"Rit-chan! This is very serious! Yo have to tell us who you did it with!"

Rutsuka wrinkled up his nose.

"No I don't!"

Soubi was sulking at the table across from them, his hands folded against his chest.

"Who was it? An old friend, Yayoi, Yuiko? I knew that Natsuo has her eye on you. Did you use protection? I thought you were at your brother house when did you sneak out?!"

Ritsuka's face burned at all of KIo's grilling. He looked over at Soubi, who had a protruding bottom lip.

"I really am sorry Soubi-kun." Ritsuka sighed. "Please don't be mad at me."

Soubi looked up at Ritsuka over his glasses.

"I'm not mad at you Ritsuka... I just thought your first time was gonna be with me and you wasted it on someone random..."

Ritsuka gaped.

"It wasn't random! I-I'm in love with him and were together now...it was exactly what I wanted Soubi."

Soubi and Kio both gasped in unison.

"Oh my god it was a guy wasn't it! Was it youji? Do we know him?!"

Ritsuka bit his lip, he was glad to see Soubi was out of his pity party for the most part, but he still didn't want to talk to him about his sexlife.

"Uh...you do know him, he's not Youji...or Yayoi...er..." Ritsuka blushed. "He's very close to me you could say..."

Soubi frowned.

"But we didn't have sex? Was I raped in my sleep?"

Ritsuka made an incredulous face at his sentoki.

"I wasn't talking about you!"

"Then who?!" Kio exclaimed.

Ritsuka looked down, his mind recalling the beautiful love making he had made with Seimei.

"It was...Seimei."

Shock made it's way onto Kio's and Soubi's face. They stared at Ritsuka for a moment, their eyes wide.

"You...you...Seimei. You and Seimei had sex?! Did he rape you?!"

"NO! Seimei would never rape me!"

Soubi made a face os sheer anger, balling up his fists.

"That bastard has the nerve to steal you away from me for a week and then he decideds he wants to seduce yo and-."

"Shut up Soubi! That's not what happened at all! I swear between the two of you it's a miracle who I didn't loose my mind already!"

Kio sucked in a breath.

"then what happened?!"

"We were casually talking about how neither of had lost our ears and why and he thought I was gonna give them to you. I tld him I had thought about it but I wasn't sure and stuff. Then I asked him why he was still a virgin and he said the only one he could ever give himself to was me pretty much and that he couldn't ask that of me. I-I kept thinking about him...and then a few days later I kind of attacked him. He was sort of suprised but, but didn't say no. And then we did it...he was very gentile and he nevere hurt me. Not really at least, actually having sex did hurt though."

The three sat in silence, just thinking. Soubi looked at Ritsuka with confused eyes.

"So, everythings ok? He didn't hurt you or rape you Ritsuka? Then...it was your idea?"

Ritsuka nodded at Soubi, feeling guitly.

"I'm in love with him if it makes it any better..."

KIo hmphed.

"I don't think being inlove with you brother makes any of this better, Rit-chan. It's still pretty crazy...I still think he masterminded this somehow."

Soubi nodded.

"I agree Kio, I feel like he's just doing this to hurt us again."

Ritsuka looked defeated, bowing his head.

"I know what you're thinking, but as long as Seimei loves me back...as long as he really wants to be my lover like he said. I'll be his."

SOubi sighed, rubbing Ritsuka's hand from across the table.

"It'll be ok, Ritsuka. Even if he ends up hurting you again in the end. You know we'll be here for you, Kio and I." 


	6. 6: Fate's Awakening

Ritsuka was startled out of his day dream by Kio's shrill voice.

"SOU-CHAN!"

Kio hit Soubi on the shoulder, pouting.

"Ugh, Kio how many times do I have to tell you that Ritsuka and I aren't like that..."

Kio raised a brow, crossing his arms.

"Well, I remember a certain tall dark and blond guy saying he was gonna take the boy's ears!"

Soubi muttered under his breath as he tried to focus on his painting.

"Well, it's not like that's going to happen now, is it Kio. Ritsuka's not interested in people who aren't related to him."

Ritsuka sat up on the couch, glaring at his sentoki.

"Shut up Soubi! Quit being a jerk."

Soubi looked over his shoulder at his sacrifice, showing a half smile.

"Sorry Ritsuka, just trying to make a point."

"But you were trying to get in the bath with him Sou-chan! That's very preverted for people to do whom are just friends! Rit-chan is seven years younger than you!"

Soubi raised a brow.

"I don't see what's wrong with it, it's not like he's innocent anymore." Soubi grinned at Ritsuka over his shoulder, sending him a teasing smile.

Ritsuka wrinkled his nose.

"Geeze Soubi, sometimes you're so insensitive." Ritsuka sighed, pulling up his messy hair. "I don't enjoy the topic of my virginity...err...my lack of one, ok."

It had been four and a half weeks since Ritsuka had come home and things were business as usual. Seimei had informed him that he'd be home in a week or two, because he had missed too much school while he was searching for Nisei, he had to make up two of his finals. Ritsuka had pouted of course, but he was told that it was mean to make his brother feel guilty because of his school work. So he quikly got over it and went about his business.

Ritsuka had cut off contact with Ritsu, although he did still talk to Seven and Nagisa. Youji had made it his mission to be Ritsu and Ritsuka's mediator, recieving and sending messages between the two. Ritsuka had made it clear that he wouldn't be able to help them find Seimei because he didn't think he could fight his own brother.

Ritsu sensei had sent out AI and Midori to uncover the trail, but Ritsuka knew that Seimei was too cunning to be caught, and so he wasn't worried at all.

"Ritsuka, why did you skip breakfast again?" Kio asked, his hands on his hips.

Ritsuka put his hand to his forehead and let out a tired breath.

"I just don't feel much like eating latley...I think I miss my brother. I havn't had much of an appetite. I'm sorry Kio-kun."

Kio looked at Ritsuka with worried features, placing a hand on his forehead.

"Well you feel warm, but not quite feverish. Hmm...maybe you're just depressed."

Ritsuka snorted.

"I'm not depressed! I'm very happy! I havn't had to battle in over a month and I'm doing so well in school. I have nothing to worry about."

Kio humphed, looking over at Soubi.

"What do you think, Sou-chan?"

Soubi shrugged, facing his painting.

"I think Ritsuka has cabin fever, since he got out of school a week and a half ago for winter break all he does is sleep."

Ritsuka crossed his arms, pouting.

"I'm not always sleeping! and I like being at home! It's comfortable here...And-." Ritsuka yawned, covering his mouth. "And...and what was I talking about?"

Soubi laughed and looked over his shoulder.

"Bed time again so soon? You just got up three hours ago."

Ritsuka shrugged.

"Why not, I read another chapter of my book and I listened to that Rick James Cd Seimei got me, and now I'm sleepy again."

Kio frowned, raising a brow.

"What's Rick James?"

Ritsuka grinned hugely, handing the cd case to Kio.

"It's some music he said I would like, he said it was like Gap Band. I really do like it. I like the song 'Give it to me Baby'."

Kio stared at the plastic case.

"He looks strange Ritsuka, I dunno about his hair...it's gross."

Ritsuka snatched the case away.

"No it's not, it's just weird. Don't be mean Kio."

Ritsuka got up and went into the kitchen. He was quite hungry, but he was afriad his stomach would turn on him again. Everytime he imagined eating something warm he felt sick to his stomach.

"I want something sweet..." Ritsuka whispered to himself, rumaging through the fridge. He spotted strawberry yogurt in the back, a few of them stacked on top of eachother.

"Yes!" He exclaimed grabbing one and pulling it out.

"Finally eating?" Kio asked, walking toward the pantry and pulling it open. "I think I'll eat lunch too...hmmm..."

Ritsuka dug into the yogurt and ate mouthful after mouthful, scarfing it down in seconds.

"Oh! That was perfect." Ritsuka sighed. "I'm still hungry though..."

Kio looked at him from behind the pantry door.

"Wow, that was fast Rit-chan! Impressive..."

Ritsuka chuckled, pulling another yogurt out of the fridge.

About five minutes later Ritsuka leaned on the counter, tossing his spoon in the sink. Kio stared at him in awe, his eyebrows lifted.

"Wow...Rit-chan. That was all of the yogurts." Kio frowned. "I wanted at least one of those..."

Ritsuka patted his stomach, letting out a satisfied sigh.

"Sorry, Kio. That's the only thing that sounded good, honestly."

Kio was about to retort when he heard a faint chiming that sounded like the twinkling of bells. Ritsuka's face did a one-eighty, a smiled stretched out on his face and he nearly jumped out of his skin.

Kio shook his head disaprovingly as he saw his friend fly out of the kitchen and into the livingroom, grabbing his phone off of the coffee table.

He pressed a button and mashed it to his face excitedly.

"Seimei!" Ritsuka exclaimed.

"Hello, brother. How are you this afternoon?"

"Just fine!" Ritsuka grinned.

He went over to the sliding glass door and used all of his strength to fling it open. He sighed, stepping out onto the balcony. He slid the door halfway shut behind him and smiled at the cool winter air on his hot skin.

"Man it feels great out here Seimei, I'm so hot in the house."

Ritsuka heard a chuckle on the other end.

"Is it now? Well how's my Ritsuka hmm? Doing well on your vacation?"

Ritsuka nodded into the phone.

"Yeah, Kio keeps bugging me about my sleep habits and he says I never eat, but I do Seimei, I just ate six yogurts."

Seimei laughed suddenly on the other line.

"HAh, they must have been very good yogurts...I couldn't imagine eating so many. So, you're getting rest, are you?"

Ritsuka stared down at the traffic below him, the air rushing up, hitting him in the face.

"Oh yes, I'm so sleepy all the time. It's nice just to do whatever I want. Soubi thinks I have cabin fever, because I don't leave the house."

"That could be it, it makes people tired to lay around all day."

"Yeah, I want you to hurry up and get home so we can do something fun together, all Soubi ever wants to do is go to weird clothes stores with Kio and find gay looking things to wear."

Seimei hmphed.

"He does have a bit of strange taste where clothes are concerned. But you do often dress like him, little brother."

Ritsuka blushed.

"I-I guess I do, but I used to kind dress like you did too Seimei."

Seimei purred.

"Yeah, I remember...so cute. Any how, Ritsuka I wanted to tell you that 'll be home in almost two weeks, I have my final retakes in a week, and I'll be done packing by then."

Ritsuka grinned.

"It'll be nice to see you again! And... to maybe um...sleep with you again."

Seimei coughed voilently on the other end, making Ritsuka suck in a breath.

"are you ok?!"

Seimei cleared his throat.

"Oh, ahem, yes...sorry I was having some coffee and I think it went down wrong. Yes...it will be very nice to see you, my love. And, of course we will sleep together again. I think I've been thinking about it too much latley."

Ritsuka sighed.

"I know what you mean, I keep having these vivid dreams about it...and you know I share a bed with Soubi. It get's very embarassing when I wake up to Soubi shaking my shoulder and telling me to be quiet because my moaning was waking him up."

Seimei stifled a laugh.

"Perhapse these dreams are what's making you sleepy?"

Ritsuka raised a brow.

"Maybe, but I still sleep well, quite well actually."

Ritsuka yawned.

"I think I'll nap soon...sleepy again."

Seimei laughed softly on the other end.

"Well go to bed, Ritsuka, I'll be home before you know it. you can text me when you wake up, I should be done studying by then."

"Ok, Seimei, I will."

"I love you, little brother."

Ritsuka smiled warmly.

"I love you too."

XXXXX

Ritsuka sat up in bed and gasped. He was sweating badly and shivering all over. He looked at the clock next to his bed, drowsily.

"Two thirty AM?!" Ritsuka gasped.

"I slept almost ten hours!"

He felt Soubi sigh in his sleep next to him, moving slightly.

Ritsuka wiped the sweat from his brow sucked in a sudden breath. His stomach turned and he could feel a chill run up his spine. Ritsuka reeled, bending over and gripping his stomach.

"Ughhh...huhhhh" Ritsuka shut his eyes tightly as a horrible wave of nausea attacked him, making him cough.

Soubi sat up, rubbing his eyes, he reached for his glasses and slid them on.

"Hey...Ritsuka. What is it?" Soubi asked sleepily.

"RRrr...uhhhh, I feel sick Soubi..." Ritsuka moaned.

Soubi set a hand lightly on his sacrifice's back and rubbed it.

"You don't feel that hot, Ritsuka...hmm you are kind of sweaty though."

"I gotta throw up!" Ritsuka cried tearing off the blankets and sliding toward the floor. He stood up wobily and took off toward the bathroom. Soubi just sat there in momentary shock at the events before he got up to investigate.

He found Ritsuka on his knees, heaving into the toilet. Soubi blushed and knit his brow together.

"Ritsuka, tell me what I should do, do you need anything, like water?"

Ritsuka whimpered and then nodded before heaving again.

Soubi turned and walked toward the kitchen, looking around cluelssly. He wasn't sure what to do for Ritsuka. Should he just get him water? Did they have some kind of medicine in the house for this?

Soubi spied Kio's door and then sighed in relief. He shuffled over to it in the dark, searching for the door handle. he found it and then turned it sideways, opening it quietly. He saw Kio sleeping on his stomach, snooring peacefully.

Soubi sat down on his bed gently, looking down at his friend.

"Kio...hey Kio..." He whispered, poking Kio's shoulder.

His friend gumbled.

"hey I need you, KIo..."

Kio opened his eyes and blinked a few times, then he sucked in a breath.

"Sou-chan?" He whimpered, sitting up.

"You really came in here...I thought you never would..."

Soubi looked at his friend with confused features.

"What are you talking about Kio? I need help desparatly...Ritsuka's throwing up and I don't really know what to do."

Kio made a startled face in the dark.

"Oh! Why didn't you tell me sooner...what happened Sou-chan?"

Soubi shrugged, pulling his tangled hair up,

He woke up all of the sudden and he started making these horrible noises so i woke up, and then he told me he was gonna throw up and he ran away!"

"I wondered if he was sick, he wasn't eating much at all latley, and he is kind of warm to the touch."

Soubi sighed, rubbing his temples.

"This is making me worried, please Kio, go help him...I'm useless."

Kio raised a brow, frowning.

"You're just a fraidy cat, Sou-chan."

With that Kio slid out of bed and walked toward the bathroom, sighing deeply.

He was starled to see Ritsuka sitting with his amrs drapped across the toilet, his eyes full of tears.

"Ritsuka!" Kio exclaimed. "Are you crying?!"

Ritsuka whimpered.

"No...no I'm not. My eyes just tear up everytime I try to throw up and nothing comes out."

Kio knelt on one knee, reaching out and petting the younger boys head.

"Oh, you poor little Rit-chan. What can Kio do to help? Need to go to the emergeny room?"

Ritsuka looked up at his friend, thinking.

"I-I'm not sure. I think maybe it's a good idea, I know if I was really sick and I didn't go Seimei would be mad at me."

KIo crossed his arms.

"This isn't about Seimei, Rit-chan. If you think you need to get checked out, Sou-chan and I would be obliged to take you."

Ritsuka nodded, biting his lip.

"Ok...I think I should. I fainted earlier when I tired to go lay in the livingroom and I ended up on the floor."

Kio raised a brow.

"Wow, Ritsuka. This could be bad, you might really be sick. I'll got throw some pants on and I'll send Sou-chan to get you dressed."

"I want to wear my pajamas..."

"Than at least put the pajama bottoms on, ok."

Kio returned to his room sleepily, sitting next to Soubi.

The blond looked up through his glasses at his friend.

"How did it go? Is he any better?"

Kio let out a sigh, rubbing his head.

"Um, not really Sou-chan. He said he fainted when he tried to get up and he said he's not throwing anything up. I'm kind of scared Sou-chan...he said he wants to go to the Emergency room. I agree I think we should get him checked out..."

Soubi's eyes widened.

"Kio! We can't do that! We aren't ever supposed to."

KIo frowned.

"Why the hell not! Soubi, Rit-chan is pretty sick we need to get him checked out ok. It doesn't matter whether or not you're supposed to."

"You don't get it Kio, we're forbidden to go to regular hospitals, we have to go to Septimal moon...we have to go see Ritsu, and Ritsuka isn't gonna like that at all."

KIo shrugged.

"honestly he feels so sick right now I think he won't care, just go help him put on his pajama pants so we can take that long ass drive."

Soubi just nodded and got up to leave the room.

XXXXXX

Ritsuka was fast asleep during the car ride to Gora. KIo and Soubi made small talk, trying to get their minds off of their worry. Ritsuka had insisted on bringing his cell phone and kept it clutched in his fist.

When they arrived Soubi got out of the little car and threw the backdoor open. He gently picked his sacrifice up out of the back and clutched him tightly.

"Is he ok?" Kio asked, adjusting his scarf.

Soubi nodded.

"He's sleeping pretty well I can't believe it really. After he slept all evening too."

Kio shrugged as they walked toward the front doors of Seven Voices Academy, jamming his hands in his pockets.

"They better let me in this time."

They checked in at the front desk, and Soubi insisted that Kio be aloud into the Infermary also. Kio just frowned at his friend as they walked down the cooridor.

"Well it's that easy just to be let in is it?! You should have done that last time Sou-chan."

Soubi laughed under his breath, looking down at his friend.

"you're so funny Kio..."

The pair came to a door at the end of the hall and KIo opened it, letting the taller man walk through with Ritsuka in his arms.

It wasn't long before they were met with a presence.

"So... you've finally came back Soubi, it's been almost two months."

Soubi turned to see Ritsu Sensei standing there with his arms crossed. The light shown off of his glasses, glinting.

KIo made an incredulous face.

"So, you're Ritsu Sensei, I've heard alot."

Ritsu's mouth curved upward in a plastic smile. Kio frowned.

"You're tall but I don't see why everyone's afriad of you, you just look like a dirty old pirate."

Soubi's eyes widened, and he tried to stifle a laugh that was urging it's way up his throat.

Ritsu stared at them stoiclly, his features unrelenting.

"Why has it taken you so long, and why are you here at four in the morning?"

Soubi clutched Ritsuka closer.

"Ritsuka knows about you...that you're really his father."

Ritsu pursed his lips, pushing his glasses higher on his nose.

"And who told him that?"

SOubi shrugged.

"I-I wrote about it in a journal...Ritsuka found it I suppose. Look Ritsuka is sick, we need you to look at him."

"Well, you were never that good at lying Soubi, but I can see that you won't tell me about this now. So tell me what's wrong with my son Soubi, what are his symptoms."

Soubi bent over to lay his sacrifice in one of the pristinly white beds that linded the walls of the Infermary.

"Wells latley he's been sleepy alot, he doen't have much energy at all. He also wouldn't eat anything we make, he just picks and chooses odd things out of the refriderator instead. He went to bed around four this afternoon and he never woke up, so I just went to bed, then he woke me up at two this morning making horrible noises and saying he had to throw up." Soubi rubbed the back of his head, blushing. "Oh, also he said he tried to get up to lay on the couch but he fainted and woke up on the floor."

"Hmmm..." Ritsu sensei walked toward Ritsuka's bed, bending down to look at him. He had his hands clasped behind his back.

"Well, well...looks like Ritsuka finally lost his ears did he..." Ritsu looked over to Soubi and raised a brow, a short smile played on his lips.

Soubi frowned, averting his eyes.

Kio was about to object to Ritsu's incinuation, but Soubi elbowed his, shaking his head. Kio stayed quiet.

Ritsu went to a desk in the back of the room, pulling a few things out of his drawers and stuffing them into his lab coat.

He walked back over to Ritsuka's bed side and pulled up a rolling stood, sitting down next to him.

"I have a slight feeling that I might know exactly what's wrong with him..." The older man stated to the two, pulling his stethiscope up from around his neck, placing it in each of his ears.

"What is it?! Kio exclaimed. sitting down on one of the beds. "Is it serious?"

Minami Ritsu pulled a saline bag out of his coat pocket and hung it from a hook screwed into the wall. He pulled a few plastic packages out from his pocket as well, pulling apart the wrappers.

"I'm going to give Ritsuka an IV, although I dont think he quite needs one, but I'll give him some Phenergan for his nausea. It'll also make it easier for me to take a few tubes of blood for testing. Everyone feels better after getting a good IV."

They watched as Ritsu cleaned the area and tied a long rubber band on his upper arm. He searched for his vein and placed two fingers on it before he incerted the needle, pressing a button he lulled the plastic tube from his arm, leaving the saline locke behind.

Kio winced when he saw Ritsuka's sartled features.

"Wha-..." He blinked sleepily. "We're here already?"

Ritsuka studied his arm as Ritsu worked on it, filling tube after tube of red- black blood.

"This is just for testing Ritsuka, Youre going to be fine so tell your friends to stop worrying."

Ritsuka looked at his father's concentrated features, he was begining to see how he looked like him, and it made him shiver.

"You know what's wrong with me Sensei?"

Ritsu attached Ritsuka's IV to the saline bag and got up to place the tubes on blood in a small case.

"I believe I do, I may be wrong, but either way you'll be fine."

Soubi pursed his lips, crossing his arms.

"I want to know why you're avoiding telling us."

Ritsu picked up the case and proceeded to head toward the door, looking over his shoulder in he process.

"I'm not, I'll talk to you about this later, I have work to do."

With that Ritsu Sensei left the room, leaving it quiet behind him.

"He's such a weirdo, Sou-chan. I can't believe you had sex with him. Ughh..."

Soubi glared daggers at his shorter friend, sending Kio a silent death threat.

Ritsuka sighed warily, looking down at the IV in his vein.

"Was all of this really nessicary? I don't even really feel sick any more. But I'm actually starting to feel sleepy again though...damn it."

Soubi went over to Ritsuka's bedside and sat next to him, petting his soft hair.

"That's just the nausea medicine he gave you, It'll make you sleepy again."

"Oh, well it must have worked, I feel alot better."

Soubi smiled a little.

"That's good."

XXXXXXXX

Ritu's eyes widned, the papers didn't lie...it had worked, it had really worked.

He sucked in a breath a she placed the newly printed papers into Ritsuka's medical file. Nagisa looked at her coleuge in awed disgust.

"You...did that to that poor boy. You did this to him, Minami...he's never going to be the same again! He's just a child Minami!"

Ritsu took off his glasses and glared at Nagisa.

"Just because I slpet with you doesn't mean you can call me by Minami when ever you please. Be professional."

Nagisa gasped.

"You're so heartless Ritsu! Doing this to your own child...and was it Soubi?"

Ritsu sighed, standing up from his desk.

"Of course it was Soubi, who else would it be. It couldn't have worked out better, in fact. Now please, go away, go bother Seven. I have things to do."

Nagisa turned to leave Ritsu's lab, not bothering to look back at him.

"I wish you were less of heartless bastard sometimes..."

Ritsu threw the door to the infirmary opening startling Natsuo, who was taking a tray of food from Ritsuka's bedside.

"Oh, hey Sensei. Just came to get this crap. I'll go get Youji..."

Ritsu waved her off, heading over to a white board in the corner of the room. He pulled the new papers out of Ritsuka's medical file and clipped them up on the board. Then he turned to Kio, Soubi and Ritsuka, letting out a sudden sigh.

"I never thought this would really work...of course, I had no way of knowing if it would until years after I had preformed the exparaments."

Soubi stood up from where he was sitting on the bed, looking confused.

"You don't make any sense..."

Ritsu pulled up the stool he had been sitting on before and sta across from the three.

"I had been trying this great exparament to make better, stonger Sentokis and Sacrifices since I was in med school. I knew that when a sacrifice married their fighter thier childeren shared a mixture of both parent's skills, making them much stronger than the ones before them. Like Seimei, whom is parented by a Sacrifice and her Sentoki, children created in this way were always incredibly gifted. But there is a dilema with this notion, Female and Male pairs a relativly rare. There are only four of them in this entire school, right now, so I wanted to figure out a way for same sex pairs to still bare children. Concidering about 90% of pairs end up getting married, dispite the fact that 85% of pairs are same sex."

"This made me think that there has to be a way that these couples could somehow create children. I researched it over and over, for hours on end while I was a collage student. I was going to give up on it...when I found one article, it changed my way of thinking, suddenly the possibilites opened up to me."

SOubi's eyes widened in fear, he looked to Ritsuka, scared for the boy. Ritsuka looked at his father in a frightened fassination, his mouth slightly a gape.

"I read a story about a cat species from Africa, you see it's females were dying of some kind of disease, dropping like flies if you like. It got to the point where the species was about to die out, when a miracle happened. The some of the male cats of the species were giving birth and the babies were thriving off of milk from the female cats that had survived. It was quite a miracle that nature had made it so these animals could survive, ignore the rules of gender. I wanted this, I wanted to harness this."

Kio's mouth dropped and his throat felt dry.

"What are you saying?!"

"I'm saying that after failure after failure with mice and monkeys, I finally figured out how to develop a way to create males who could both impregnate felmales and become pregnant themselvs. But I could only do it while the embryo was developing in the womb, and that meant there was no way to test it on a human. Until I was blessed with the knowlege that Misaki was having my child."

Ritsuka stared, tears rolling down his cheeks, he hicuped and Soubi's head snapped inhis direction.

"R-Ritsuka?"

Ritsuks just stared, tears spilling from his beautful eyes.

"Ritsuka, this is a miracle. I wasn't sure if I'd ever get to know if it worked. But when I saw you and my Soubi together, it clicked and I hoped that one day you two would sleep together. I never had an idea that the series of shot I gave to you during Misaki's pregnancy would take effect. You and Soubi are having a child..."

Soubi's face became redder by the second, he looked to Kio for help, but he knew if he said anything, Ritsu would know that Ritsuka had indeed Seen Seimei, and that the boy knew where his brother was.

"Err...Sensei..." Soubi tried. He was so angry, so confused. He was mad at Ritsu for doing this to his only child, for hurting Ritsuka, and mad at Seimei for putting his sacrifice though something so hard and lifechanging.

"You can't be serious!" Kio spat walking up to Ritsu and looking down at him.

"How in the fucking hell could you even hope to put Rit-chan through something so horrible! You get that thing out of him right now! How do you even know if Ritsuka can have this so called baby without it dying or him dying?!"

Ritsu looked at the green haired boy like he was an idoit.

"I've been doing this for a long time... I know the risks, although it's true that Ritsuka is the first human to go through this, I checked his hormone balance and his chemical balances, as far as the blood work he's perfectly able to produce this child without it dying."

Soubi held Ritsuka, who sobbed into his shoulder, he felt his heart thumping in his chest from his intense anger, He wanted to hurt Ritsu so badly that he wasn't sure he could be in the room to listen any longer.

Kio continued to give the teacher the third degree.

"You are so evil! So insensitive! Rit-chan can't take care of a child! He's sixteen!"

Ritsu pursed his lips.

"I was going to take the child after the gestation period. Ritsuka wouldn't have to worry about anything."

"Except being a pregnant guy and having to give birth to a baby!" Kio threw his hands up in the air, turning to meet Soubi's firery gaze. He looked up kio with painfully hurt eyes and clenched teeth. Kio gasped.

"Sou-chan I can watch Ritsuka if you need some air..."

Ritsuka looked up from Soubi's chest and wiped his cheeks, his eyes intense.

"Your plan didn't work...you're the one who's going to be sorry..."

Ritsu looked up from his papers and stared at Ritsuka.

"You are pregnant Ritsuka...I can even do a diagram for you. You must be interested in seeing how your insides differ from-."

"NO!" Ritsuka cut Minami off suddenly, leaning forward in his bed. "You're wrong! Soubi isn't gonna have a baby with me you idiot!"

Ritsu's features showned no changes to the news.

"Well.."

"Seimei is the father..."

This time Ritsu's face displayed an uncaracteristic ammount of shock. His eyes were wide and his mouth hung slightly open.

"What?" he whispered.

Ritsuka stared at his father darkly.

"Seimei is the child's father...and I know he'd never let you take it away from me."

Ritsu's face whitened and he held his breath, looking through his papers.

"This has to be a lie...he'd never... would he? Would he sleep with his own brother? No...this has to be a lie." Ritsu looked up at Soubi his eyes questioning.

"It's true, I've never slept with Ritsuka. He was with his brother for a while...he came back without ears."

Ritsu's face flashed in anger.

"That fool! He has no idea what he's done! That's no child in you, that thing is a monster! There's no way a child fathered by that creature could be normal!"

"Cuz they're both brothers?" Kio asked.

Ritsu frowned, trying to calm down.

"No, because Seimei is an evil beast! How could he have seduced you Ritsuka?! Didn't you see what he did to Soubi?!"

Ritsuka frowned, suddenly offened.

"How dare you question my character father! After what you did to me! Look at me! I'm a mess, I'm sick and pregnant...I don't know what to do!"

Soubi suddenly slipped out from behind Ritsuka and stood up wordlessly. He walked toward the door of the infirmary, grabbing Ritsuka's blackberry silently off of the desk on his way out.

Soubi walked out into the fresh afternoon air, it was cool and Soubi felt as though he could breathe again.

He was so close to killing Ritsuka's real father that he couldn't see straight. He had promised Ritsuka that he would never be aloud to kill another human being, and he was dangerously close to murdering his old Sensei.

He knew he couldn't, but he still had one option, one way for Ritsu to really fell the gravity of what he had done to a innocent boy, to his own child.

"He looked through the contacts in Ritsuka's phone and suckd in a breath as he spied the name he had searched for. He regrated so badly his desicion to do what he was about to do...but it was the only way he knew Ritsu would pay. The only person crazy enough to avenge this.

The phone rang on the other end and Soubi could feel his stomach turning.

The ringing stoped and a voice like velvet answered on the other line.

"Well there you are, my Ritsuka. I've been a bit worried..."

Soubi choked on his own voice for a moment.

"S-Seimei..."

The line was quet for a moment, not even breathing could be heard.

"Soubi."

Soubi let out a breath. "We're in Gora. Seimei, you need to come... Ritsuka, he's-."

"I'll be there." was all the blond heard before Seimei hung up.


	7. 7: Balancing Act

Seimei slammed on the brakes as he pulled into the dirt driveway of Seven Voices Academy. He pulled the car into park and yanked the keys out of the ignition, barley leaving time to take a breath. As he threw the door open, he saw Soubi sitting on a bench in the front garden, smoking a cigarette.

He walked over to him, shoving the keys to his into his back pocket.

"What the hell is going on Soubi! What's wrong with my brother, I want-."

"Seimei, it wasn't under my control, this is between you, Ritsu, and Ritsuka."

Seimei went up to Soubi, looking up at him, he was barley inches from his face, glaring.

"What the fuck did he do to him? Is my brother ok? If he isn't...so help me this whole place is going to burn."

Soubi pulled his face as far from Seimei's as he could, blushing.

"Th-the exparaments you told me about so long ago...on Ritsuka. They did affect him..." Soubi let out the breath he had been holding in. "He did something to his genetics...Seimei."

Soubi watched in wonder as he saw Seimei's bitter face flash with fear...the only time he could ever remember seeing fear on the Sacrifice's features was when it had to do with Ritsuka.

"G-go on..." Seimei choked, still only inches from Soubi's horrified face.

"He...made it so Ritsuka could have babies... he said Ritsuka was pregnant... he never told me about this Seimei. You have to believe me, I'd never want to hurt Ritsuka."

The fear in Seimei's face shattered and in it's place the most horrible crazed anger showed.

"Soubi...thank you...for taking care of him...for calling me." with that statement Seimei turned his back and headed toward the front doors of the school.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ritsu was busy drawing a diagram on the white board for Ritsuka to see, so he could explain things to him. He looked down at his old study papers for refrance, holding them in his hands. He was about to stop and light a cigarette when he felt a presence behind him. It was such a dark and daunting presence...he knew it at once.

"Ritsuka isn't in here, he went upstairs." Was all Ritsu said, not turning to acknowledge the person behind him.

"I figured that out...it's better this way."

Ritsu turned to see Seimei walking slow toward him, a smile playing on his lips.

Ritsu suddenly felt a small pang of fear as he saw Seimei getting closer.

"What are you trying to do, pick up where you left off? I'm not afraid of you..."

Seimei's smile widened.

"Who said anything about being afriad, Minami...I just want to study you...just want to see what you look like without that shirt on.."

Ritsu's eyes widened and he took a step backward.

"You're being entirley unprofessional, you need to exit the premasis before I get an escort for you. You're not aloud here."

Seimei bit his lip as he tried to stop himself from smiling.

"Oh, Minami...we are going to be very aquainted, there will be no need for such professionalism." Seimei took another step forward and then suddenly grabbed a hold of Ritsu's neck, squeezing it tightly.

Ritsu wrapped his hands around Seimei's slender wrist, pulling at it.

Seimei laughed and squeezed tighter, letting his adrenaline add to his strength.

"You like experiments don't you, Sensei? Oh, I like them too! We must be kindred spirits..."

Ritsu choked and clawed at Seimei's hand loosing all of his possible strength.

"GrrKkk"

Seimei pulled out his knife, flipping it open and revealing it's grotesque blade.

"Let's do an experiment, Sensei. Have ever heard of an autopsy?"

Ritsu's eyes widend and he pulled at Seimei's hold on him.

Seimei just laughed, turning around, he pushed Ritsu on to one of the beds, making the older man stumble backwards.

Ritsu gasped for air.

"You-you can't...Ritsuka he-."

Seimei tilted his head to the side, letting his beautiful hair fall into his eyes.

"Let's play Scientists, Sensei!" Seimei laughed out loud, he's eyes on fire. "It will be fun!" He roared.

Seimei lunged at Ritsu, straddling him, he ripped open his blue button up shirt tearing off all of it's buttons.

"This is your fault, Seimei!" Minami cried. "I didn't do this to Ritsuka, You did!"

Seimei stopped and stared down at Ritsu's frightened face. He glared, pushing his bony knees into the headmaster's arms.

"I know I did this, you disgusting fuck..." Seimei hissed as he reached down and slashed his knife across Ritsu's face. Minami cried out in pain and blood began to drip from the cut.

"I know i did...but you- you! You will pay for it! It's your fault that my brother is going to go through hell for me!" Seimei stabbed his blade into the inside of Ritsu's upper arm, hearing a crunching sound. "I'm going to turn you inside out."

Ritsu gasped in pain, coughing, and he writhed beneath the beautiful boy, trying his best to wriggle free.

Seimei just looked down at Ritsu and narrowed his eyes.

"Do you know what an autopsy is? Well just in case you don't...I'm going to make a few deep incisions here..." Seimei ran his finger lightly over the Headmaster's collar bone from left to right. "And here...then all the way down to you're belly button."

Ritsu's eyes widened and he left his mouth hang agape.

"Yes, I want to experiment too! You made it look like it was so satisfying...I want to be satisfied too. And I think if I get to learn about what you look like on the inside then, I might be satisfied with my payback."

"You wouldn't..." Ritsu whispered. "I'm Ritsuka's father, he would never forgive you."

Seimei's eyes widened.

"You have no claim on him, and you will never make me believe that Ritsuka wouldn't forgive me for killing you. I'm confident that after your impunishable actions that death was a suitable fit for you."

Ritsu looked up at Seimei with hatred written on his features.

"He may forgive you, but if you massacre me like you plan, the he will always fear you!" Ritsu spat at Seimei, earning another slash from the boy's knife. It cut his ear in half, and he could feel the warm blood coating the side of his face.

"I heard cutting through the sternum is hard...lets find out..."

Seimei sat forward and dug his knife into the flesh of Ritsu's chest, hearing the older man scream from the searing pain.

"They call it a 'Y' incision...because of it's shape..." Seimei made an indentical cut on the Headmaster's opposite side. He watched as the blood poured out of him and flooded the white linens he was laying on.

Seimei grit his teeth.

"Now for the other-."

He was cut off when he heard the Infirmary doors being shattered to bits. Seimei looked suddenly as dust filled the air, making it momentarily hard to breath.

Soubi stood in the door way with his hand outstretched before him. He lowered it and looked almost apologetically at Seimei. Making Seimei frown in confusion.

Ritsuka ran in from behind his sentoki, dressed in his pajamas.

"Seimei! He shouted, running toward him. "Seimei please! This is enough!"

Seimei's eyes widened and he suddenly snapped out of the trance he seemed to be in.

"Ritsuka, my love." Seimei's eyes softened.

He watched as Soubi and Kio ran in from behind Ritsuka, pulling Seimei's suddenly limp body from off of Ritsu.

Seimei pushed their hands from off of him, glaring daggars at the two. "Don't touch me!" He hissed.

Ritsuka stood there with fear in his large eyes. He looked up at his brother, blinking.

"You're covered with blood...Seimei." The boy reached forward and grabbed for his older brother's hand. Seimei let the knife fall from his grip and hit the blood spattered floor. Squeezing,he held onto Ritsuka's hand.

Ritsuka's eyes widened and he fell forward into his brother's chest.

"Big brother...you're shaking."

Seimei wrapped his arms around Ritsuka and held him tightly.

"Are you afraid of me?"

Ritsuka buried his head deeper into Seimei's grasp and sighed.

"No... never."

Seimei let out a breath, he didn't notice when all of Septimal Moon's personal came running into the infirmary, rushing to the Headmaster's side.

"Good."

XXXXXX

For Ritsuka the drive home was excruciating.

"Do you think he's ok?" He asked his roommates. Kio seemed shaken, he drove silently as Soubi sat in the back and tried to comfort Ritsuka.

"I'm sure he just left to change his clothes." Soubi stated. "He didn't seem like he wanted to leave...but I think he wanted to avoid getting caught the the Seven Voices guards."

Ritsuka nodded. He placed a hand on his stomach and rubbed it just a little, blushing.

"S-so he knows...about the baby, about what happened to me?" He asked, looking up at Soubi with painful embarrassment.

Soubi nodded.

"He asked me as soon as he got to Seven Voices. I had to tell him...he was very intent."

Soubi felt allot of guilt for setting this up. He wasn't sure if he had known, deep down, that Seimei would have reacted this badly. Soubi knew Seimei was crazy...he knew how violent he was. Especially, involving Ritsuka in something like this...no matter whom fathered Ritsuka's child, Seimei would have murdered Ritsu...and Soubi knew it.

"Is Ritsu going to live?"

Soubi nodded grimly.

"I know you don't want anyone to die...but... I sort of think that Ritsu deserved what he was given...Seimei was never one to play around when it came to you, Ritsuka."

Ritsuka blushed.

"I-I guess... I just hate this, I know Seimei can't help it when he gets angry but...but..." Ritsuka teared up.

"I don't think that we can be parents the way we are...I don't even know if Seimei wants to help me with this. He doesn't like babies, Soubi."

Soubi looked down and studied the floor, his eyes somber.

"I'm sorry this ever had to happen to you...I'm sorry I couldn't protect you...I'm sorry I failed."

Ritsuka looked up and wiped the tears from his eyes. He reached out to Soubi and pet his sentoki's hair lovingly.

"You are a good protector, Soubi. Without you, I don't know how I would have gotten through all of this."

Soubi looked up and met his sacrifice's gaze, his eyes calm and serene.

"Soubi, I know what Seimei thinks, and I do love my brother very deeply, but the truth is that I don't care about his opinion of you. Because I love you, and I will never forget how you've helped me. To me, Soubi, you never failed. I think...I think Seimei doesn't understand. He only knows love for me...but I think he could love more people...I think he could see that having a world so small isn't good for him. And, I think because you showed me that...because you showed me something he never could...he could never tell you you've failed."

Soubi leaned into Ritsuka's touch, sighing.

"I'm sorry that you have to go through this though, Ritsuka. I'm not sure if Seimei would be a good father..."

Ritsuka frowned, sitting back.

"I don't know if even wants to be our baby's father. So I suppose I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."

XXXXXXX

Ritsuka was sitting in his room alone with his headphones plugged into his laptop, listening to music. He was getting sleepy again. Being pregnant made him so sleepy it was almost funny to imagine that he used to have problems sleeping. He reached down to his stomach and touched it ever-so -lightly, barley grazing his fingertips over his skin.

My baby...our baby.

Ritsuka thought this with a twinge of excitement. He didn't know if he should feel guilty for feeling this way, but he loved Seimei so much...to imagine that there would soon be visible evidence that he was having his child made him excited. Not that he was looking forward to getting big, but to see that the baby in him was real, the thought took Ritsuka's breath away.

He laid back on the bed and sighed, letting the music calm his nerves. Soubi was Kio, picking up something for dinner. Ritsuka hoped it was something his stomach didn't refuse. His belly grumbled and he sucked in a breath , feeling a sudden rush of nausea and hunger pangs overtake him.

"Oh, god...not again." Ritsuka felt all the blood rush to his face, making him feel hot. "This is so horrible..."

Ritsuka sat up and leaned against the wall, running his fingers though his hair. He shut his eyes for a moment, letting his mind rest. He felt as though he was about to fall asleep again and he jerked up, waking himself up. His heart jumped when he saw a beautiful figure stanging there gazing at him.

Ritsuka gasped.

"Seimei!"

Seimei smiled and walked toward him. He sat infornt of his little brother on the bed and reached out to him, taking off his headphones.

"I let myself in."

Ritsuka smiled and reached up to Seimei's face, brushing his pretty hair from eyes.

"That's fine, no one's home so I wouldn't have heard you."

Seimei nodded.

"How's my Ritsuka?" Seimei sat up across from Ritsuka with his legs tucked benieth him.

Ritsuka just shrugged.

"Yucky..."

Seimei's eyes were intense but loving, emotional with somthing Ritsuka couldn't quite guess.

Seimei leaned down between Ritsuka's legs and put his large hand softly on top of his brother's belly, barley putting any pressure.

Ritsuka's face blushed deeply and he averted his eyes bashfully.

Seimei grabbed his little brother's chin and lifted it toward his loving gaze.

"Ritsuka... is it true? What they've been saying?"

Ritsuka sucked in a breath and nodded, placing his hand on top of Seimei's.

"This is our baby..." he whispered.

Seimei then let a lovley smile appear on his face, his cheeks a bit red.

"I'm speechless."

Ritsuka smiled too and looked up his brother. He looked breathtaking, he was so pretty with his hair cut the way it was.

"Seimei, you look like you used to when I was little...it might be weird for me when we have sex now."

Seimei's serene features immidiatly flushed as he turned red, his eye brows raised up.

"Ritsuka! You're making me blush."

His little brother laughed, running his hand through his brother's hair.

"Haha, I didn't mean too..." Ritsuka's features changed suddenly and he bagan to look sullen.

Seimei raised a brow.

"What's wrong?"

Ritsuka shurgged and rubbed Seimei's hand that was still resting on his stomach.

"Are you sure you want to do this with me...it's one thing to be my lover and another to parent a child with me."

Seimei looked hurt for a moment and he sighed. He leaned down to press a sweet kiss to his brother's unsuspecting lips.

Ritsuka sucked in a breath.

"Of course I'm sure. I'm not sure how we're going to do this brother, but we are going to do this. It'll be ok. It'll be better than ok. I never wanted to be a father, but maybe that's because you're not supposed to have babies Ritsuka; because anything that I could imagine coming from you...I couldn't see how I couldn't fall in love with it."

Ritsuka's eyes filled with tears and he leaned his head against Seimei's chest. He sniffled a little and smiled.

"I'm sorry I'm crying, I'm not even sure why...it's just the baby though, Ritsu told me that this would happen."

Seimei lifted Ritsuka's face and kissed his forehead.

"It's fine if you cry, crying is very appropriate." Seimei smiled, laughing a little.

Ritsuka smiled back, wiping his eyes.

"So we're gonna have a baby?" Ritsuka asked.

Seimei raised a brow.

"Seems that way little brother."

Ritsuka layed his head on Seimei's lap and sighed.

"Well I'm glad that it's with you."

XXXXXX

"Sou-chan...his car is here."

Soubi looked behind him at Kio's worried features. He spied the black Mercedes parked in one of the spots beside their apartment.

"I expected that, he's here to talk to Ritsuka about- about...the..."

"Baby?"

Kio raised a brow as caught up to his taller friend.

"Is he gonna eat at our house Sou-chan?! He's not exactly welcome here, if I could put my foot down."

Soubi pursed his lips, thinking.

"I don't like it but Ritsuka needs him right now, besides Kio, we won't see him. He doesn't eat infront of anyone...excpet for Ritsuka."

Kio looked up a Soubi, frowning.

"Really? How weird..."

Soubi laughed a little, he had obviously peeked Kio's interest in gossiping about Seimei.

"Yeah, actually Ritsuka was telling me about a time when it was his birthday and Seimei had bought him a little cake and stuff...apparently Seimei helped feed it to him."

Kio gaped at his friend as they climbed the stairs.

"What?! What a creep! That sounds like he's always had a brother complex..."

Soubi nodded as he opened the door to the apartment, letting Kio in before him.

"Yeah, he did, every time he'd talk to me about Ritsuka when I was his sentoki, he would always say weird stuff about how beautiful Ritsuka was and he'd tell me about all of this little stuff he would do. You know like a story he wrote for school or how he didn't know how to draw... it was weird."

Kio raised a brow as he put some food into the refridgerator.

"He told you stuff like that? But I thought he was cold to you."

Soubi shrugged, biting into and apple.

"He was, but I think he secretly wanted someone to talk about Ritsuka to, you know since he couldn't just do that to Ritsuka himself. Plus, I was like the only person who really knew who Seimei was inside...that he was a crazy sadist."

Kio nodded, sipping on a soda.

"That does make sense, I suppose. Did he admit about how he felt about Ritsuka then?"

Soubi bit his lip, thinking.

"Not really, I kind of guessed it. Although I did think Ritsuka was older...I was suprised when he told me he was in fifth grade at the time. I had brought up that I wanted to meet Ritsuka once and Seimei got really mad at me. I think if he hadn't been so afraid for him when he faked his death he wouldn't have left me to Ritsuka at all. He was so protective and...just a plain old Ritsuka hog."

Kio looked at Soubi incredulously.

"A Ritsuka hog?"

Soubi nodded matter -of -factly.

"Yeah, when I met Ritsuka I was eager to see the kid that Seimei was always talking about...and then there he was. I could have picked him out anywhere...he looks like Seimei alot, Seimei and Minami. But I was also kind of suprised to see how good Ritsuka was inside, I guess I expected to be like Seimei, but he turned out to be so innocent and caring. He never really grew out of that."

Kio nodded, leaning on the counter, he looked up at Soubi's reminicent freatures.

"Hah, yeah, I though Rit-chan was gonna be a little brat, and he kind of was, but it was cute...and he never hurt you Soubi. That's what I had been afraid of."

"Yes, Ritsuka was much difrent...but maybe that's why Seimei loves him the way he does."

Kio frowned.

"Because Ritsuka is his opposite?"

Soubi shrugged.

"Yeah it's like a balancing act, they're so difrent that they are attracted to each other...one completes the other."

"It's strange how it doesn't matter to them that they're brothers...they don't seem to care."

Soubi laughed a little.

"Yeah! Ritsuka's so innocent that he doesn't see a problem in loving whom ever he falls in love with...and well Seimei is just a pervert."

Kio leaned his head on Soubi's shoulder and laughed too.

"I'm surrounded by perverts!"


	8. 8: Emmaline

Ritsuka coughed, leaning down into the toilet. He wasn't sure how much more of this sickness he could stand. Every time he woke up hungry it was like this, like his stomach couldn't decide if it was sick or hungry.

Seimei trudged into the bathroom, sleep still playing on his features.

He yawned, covering his mouth.

"OH!" He exclaimed, looking down at his brother with sympathetic features.

"Aww, Ritsuka! Why didn't you wake me?"

Seimei leaned down, petting his brother's hair. Ritsuka coughed and tried again to throw up.

"I-I didn't have time to warn you Seimei." Ritsuka looked up sadly at Seimei, his features pleading. "I don't think you should watch this...it's yucky."

Seimei frowned at his brother, stroking his beatiful hair.

"Dont be silly, little brother. Of course I'd be in here with you, even if you weren't sick because of my baby...if you were just sick I'd still be here."

Ritsuka blushed as a faint smile appeared on his face. Seimei smiled back, warmly.

Their moment was interupted when Kio walked into the hallway frowning.

"Oh. You're still here...don't you have a home or an evil lair to be going back to?" Kio yawned, scratching his stomach.

Seimei glared.

"I have a reason to be here."

Ritsuka suddenly looked hurt, his face portraying his disapproving features.

"You guys please...I don't think I can handle this right now." Ritsuka pleaded, leaning back over to heave.

Seimei's eyes flashed with anger, his eyes narrowed.

"I don't want to be here around you or Soubi any more than you want me here, but Ritsuka has made it clear that he wants to stay...And I'm going to be where ever he is."

Kio rolled his eyes, his hands on his hips.

"Well, if Aoyagi-san knew how to keep it in his pants and not have sex with his little brother maybe you could be at you're cavern of darkness right now!"

Seimei balled up his fists, his eyes like daggers.

"Cavern of darkness?! Maybe you need me to-."

Ritsuka covered Seimei's mouth lightly with his hand, shaking his head.

"Please Seimei, he can't defend himself...not against you."

Seimei's eyes softened as he gazed at his brother, he nodded.

Kio stood in the hall looking offened.

"I can defend myself fine Rit-chan! It's nice to see how much faith in me you have!"

Ritsuka looked at Kio incredulously, frowning.

"But Kio, he beat Soubi and I. And we're like one of the strongest pairs from Septimal Moon. You don't really stand a chance against a Sacrifice that acts as his own Sentoki."

Kio gaped, his finger still raised as if to retort.

"Plus you're wearing blue bunny slippers." Seimei added, his eyebrow raised.

Kio gasped, looking down at his slippers sadly.

"I-I liked them..." He whined.

Seimei sighed, getting up from his spot on the floor.

"I'm going to get you some water, little brother. Then we're going to find out what to do about this morning sickness."

XXXXX

It was dark in Ritsu's office.

He sat at his desk staring down at his computer. His face was rigid with pain, he still felt a bit sick with a fever from his recent infection. It had been two weeks and now Ritsuka was two months into his pregnancy. He was missing everything!

He tried to move his left arm again, but winced. He was going to Get Aoyagi Seimei back...for everything. For ruining his exparament with Ritsuka, for breaking his arm, for leaving such deep scars in his chest, and for partally blinding him. Seimei was going to feel all of the pain he had inflicted on Minami... he was going to burn with it.

"I wonder how he'd like it if he really was burnt to death..."

Ritsu laughed to himself, a crooked smile playing on his featurres.

He was suddenly interupted by his apprentice, Youji.

Ritsu Sensei looked up, raising a brow.

"What."

"Visiter Sensei... geeze what a grouch."

"Let them in." Ritsu stated with a wave of his hand.

Youji turned to open the door all the way, he let a woman with short black hair and a shockingly beautful face into the room. Youji flicked on the lights and turned to leave, almost tripping over a young boy standing behind him.

Youji frowned suddenly upon seeing the boy. everything about him screamed darkness. His eyes were so light,almost the way cat's eyes would look inthe darkness. And his hair was long and srtaight, platnum strands resting around his face and shoulders. The only thing that wasn't attractive about the bay was the was his angel like features was curved into a menacing frown.

Youji wrinkled up his nose.

"what the hell are you lookin at you little punk?!"

The boy narrowed his lovley eyes.

"excuse me creature, you are in my way."

Youji was shoved to the side as the boy walked passed him, shutting the door behind him.

The Zero just stared incredulously, gaping.

"Did that little brat really just do that?!"

Ritsu raised a brow at the woman in front of him, giving he an uncharacteristic smile.

She smiled back at him, but not quite in a friendly manner.

"I've brought my son here finally, he's six now, but I'm sure you were keeping track, he does belong to you after all."

Ritsu nodded, closing his laptop. He looked the boy over, he truly was beautiful, although he didn't look as much like Soubi as Ritsu had hoped.

The boy glowered at him, pursing his lips.

"Yes, of course Laurelei, I've kept track, it's too bad you havn't brought him sooner. I was interested in watching him develop.

Laurelei shrugged, brushing her silky hair from her face.

"Isn't it good enough that I carried it for you. He wasn't interested in meeting you either."

Ritsu looked at Laurelei in irritation, raising a brow.

"Well, fair enough. I don't care much for brats anyway. Well are you beinging him training now? He's still a year young to really begin."

Laurelei huffed, looking down at the child. The boy didn't return her gaze.

"He won't miss France much, He was anxious to begin training, he hates the School for Sacrifices. He really can't stand the fact that the sentoki's are looked down upon by trainers."

Ritsu looked down at the boy incredulously, rubbing his temples.

"Isn't it a little much for a grade school child to have such strong opinions on things he doesn't understand?"

The boy looked up at Ritsu with fire in his gaze.

"I'm not a stupid Grade school kid, I know everything, about what you did to make me. About where I came from."

The Headmaster glared at the boy, his glasses glinting from the light.

"You will learn soon how to controll that mouth of yours. It will break you...you will be a horrible Sentoki if you keep it up, remeber that I am your Sensei, and that demands respect."

THe boy looked away, biting his lip.

Laurelei smiled slightly.

"It's always nice to Visit Seven Voices when you're in such a good mood. By the way, how is that Soubi of yours? Still on the lamb?"

Ritsu sighed, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"He wasn't for a while, he took up with another Aoyagi brother, my son Ritsuka. But Seimei got to him..Ritsuka. He's battling without a Sentoki."

Laurelei gasped.

"What?! He can't do that! How did he... your school has so many scandals, Sept Ames nevers has these kinds of problems."

"It's all Aoyagi Seimei, he's a curse. Now he's seduced Ritsuka and my son is having his child...not Soubi's."

Laurelei gasped in disgust, covering her mouth.

"Thay boy did what?! So I guess it didn't work out, your experiment. I still can't believe he did that to his own brother, that's a disgrace. He seemed like such a bright child when I met him all those years ago...hmm... guess he fooled me."

The Headmaster crossed his arms, rubbing his temples.

"He pulled one over on all of us, and to think I trusted him with Soubi, I feel so stupid. But I have this child...my last atempt at having Soubi again."

The goy grimaced at Ritsu, wrinkling his perfect nose.

"I'm not Soubi, I don't even know who that is. I'll be stronger than him though, I'll be better."

Ritsu raised a brow at the statement.

"What amkes you think you could match up to skill like his, he is an increadibly gifted Sentouki, those shoes are almost impossible to fill, child. The only thing that possibly give you hope for that is that you come from Soubi's DNA. He is technically your father."

The boy looked up at his mother, questioning her with his features.

She laughed.

"Relax Emmaline, Agatsuma-san and I were never in a relationship. I just owed a pretty big favor to Ritsu-san, so I agreed to carry you in me, and I decided when you were little that i wanted to keep you with me for a while during your childhood. I am fond of you, after all."

Emmaline nodded, his ears flattening.

Ritsu smiled crookedly at the boys display of emotion, he was beging to think this child had a few things in common with Seimei.

"So you are my mother, right?"

Laurelei nodded, rubbing the boys head lightly.

Ritsu looked at them disapprovingly.

"I hope doing this wasn't too much to ask for Laurelei, I hope you aren't too attached."

Laurelei shook her head, lifting her hand from Emmaline's head.

"It was just artificial insemination, Emmaline was made for you, and so far I haven't been able to get the Oricle to determine a name for him. He's nameless...just like you wanted."

Ritsu's eyes widened.

"Very well, that's good news. You can have my apprentice show you both to his new room. I believe we'll have one arranged by now. welcome to seven Voice's Emmaline...Emmaline...what's his sur name, Laurelei?"

Laurelei frowned.

"What do you think?! I wouldn't just give him my own name!"

Ritsu's smile shown through his dark visage, making him look devilish.

"Welcome to Seven Voice's Academy, Agatsuma Emmaline."

XXXXXX

Soubi laughed, poking at Ritsuka's belly, it was bluging outward between Ritsuka's hips just the slightest bit.

Ritsuka blushed profusely.

"You can't just go around poking me and laughing! I said you could touch it not make fun of it!"

Ritsuka swatted Soubi's hand away and pouted, crossing his arms.

"Well it's already there...I can see it!"

Ritsuka pulled his shirt back over his tummy, sighing in exasperation.

"You were there when Ritsu Sensei said that I would probably develop faster than girls do...don't be so surprised."

Soubi's sacrifice blushed profusely, it was true that he was supposed to be showing now even through he was only working on his third month, but he still felt like all of this was happening so fast. Ritsu had given him a due date already (March 2nd)...before Seimei had attacked him, and it was getting closer and closer with each day. It made Ritsuka's heart thump, thinking that in approximatly five more months he would be a father.

It was going to be Christmas in a month though, and he was feeling excited about the prospect of having Seimei with him for the special holiday again.

"So where where's tall dark and evil at today? I see he's not here attracting Tsunamis with his soulless being today."

Ritsuka looked up at Kio from the couch and glared at him.

"Stop being such a jerk, Kio, he;s coming here from me. He doesn't like being here either. But if you have to know, he said he had to talk with someone today." Ritsuka shrugged, placing his hands back on the small bump between his hips again.

"I dunno if he'll be back here today."

Kio put his hands on his hips, looking down at the Sentoki and Sacrifice with irritated features.

"Well, well what a suprise. They stop having sex for one night, Sou-chan. Maybe you wan't have to sleep on the couch again."

Soubi gaped, a look of disgust on his face. Ritsuka squeiled.

"KIO! We are not having sex! We havn't yet since...since I got pregnant." Ritsuka glared at Kio, his eyes throwing daggers.

Kio waved Ritsuka off, shaking his head.

"A likley story! I heard you two making noises plenty of times! Like last night when Sou-chan and I were in the room playing Ponjan and we heard you-,"

"We werb't having sex! I'm still afraid to...cuz of the baby. But...I mean we were um..." Ritsuka's red face gave away his guilt.

Soubi just made another face like he was going to be sick, or cry.

"Ew...Ritsuka...in our bed?"

Ritsuka nodded, his arm covering his guilty expression.

Kio crossed his arms, huffing.

"I knew it! Rit-chan and Aoyagi-kun were commiting the act of Felatcio right in your very room Sou-chan!"

Soubi bowed his head, rubing his temples.

"It would have been fine if you let me think the were just ticking one another, Kio. I didn't need to know that."

Kio raised a brow, rubbing his chin.

"Hmmm... well I guess it's not as bad as sex, right Sou-chan?"

Ritsuka just stared at the two with a face of complete humiliation, his pretty mouth slightly agape.

The scene was interupted by a heavy knocking at the door.

Ritsuka looked at it with anticipation, sitting up to see Kio answer it.

Kio hmphed, turning to walk over to the source of the noise. He pulling his sucker from his mouth and opened the door, his face showing his irritation.

Seimei looked down at him from the other side, his arms full of luggage.

Kio's face melted from it's irritation, showing in it's stead horrible suprise.

"Well it's nice to see you're taking a break from evil-doing to take a vaction but what are you doign here with those bags, Aoyagi-san?!"

Seimei raised a brow, incredulously.

"Ritsuka said he wouldn't come home with me so I'm comming home with him."

KIo gaped.

"OH NO YOUR NOT!" Kio exclaimed. "You are most certainly not welcome here! I'm a member of the Neighborhood Watch! I can't have a convict living in my apartment!"

Seimei pushed Kio aside, walking into the aparment and heading straight for Ritsuka and Soubi's room.

Ritsuka gaped as he watched the two arguing. Soubi's eyes widened.

"I have to be convicted of something to be concidereda convict, Kaito." Seimei stated, dropping his bags to the ground.

Kio gasped, he put his hands on his hip as he stood in the door way of Seimei's new aparent residence.

"You can't just barge in here and decide to live in Rit-chan and Sou-chan's room, you baby rapist! tell him Sou-chan!"

Seimei turned to Soubi and narrowed his eyes at the Sentoki.

"You will not challenge me, Soubi, you will agree that my living here is in my brother's best interest."

Soubi stared at Seimei for a moment, his body shivering for a moment from Seimei's intense stare.

'That was an order', Soubi thought.

"Kio, Seimei will stay here."

Kio growled, clenching his fists.

"Oh Sou-chan you make me so mad!" Kio turned to Seimei pointing his sucker at him. "If you do anything stupid or Evil while you live here I don't care who you think you are I'm going to turn you into the police. I know all about Septimal Moon and their silence agreement but I don't belong to them, so I will turn you in, in a heartbeat!"

Ritsuka sat up suddenly, glaring at the two of them.

"Shut up both of you! You're acting like little kids! I know this is going to be a pain in the ass but-."

Ritsuka cut himself off as he felt a wave a nausea wash over his suddenly. He wavered, rubbing his stomach.

"Uhhh..." Ritsuka shut his eyes, feeling his Sentoki's arms around him, comforting him. Ritsuka sighed.

"I think I'm hungry again, I feel sick."

Seimei frowned, looking somberly at his discarded Sentouki and his little borther embracing. He was supposed to feel jealously, he knew he normally would...but all he could feel was guilt. Ritsuka was in so much pain sometimes, and it was all because of him. Because he had fallen in love with Ritsuka and fate would have them be parents together.

Seimei let out a slight sigh, turning to Kio's startled features.

"I won't do anything bad Kaito, trust me if you like. I'm not doing this for myself. I'm doing this beacuse I love my brother. So you have my word..how ever viable,to you, it is."

Kio stared at Seimei in wonder, the sadness in his lovley eyes was unmisakable.

Kio felt his face grow hot.

"Uh, I suppose for now that will have to do then, Aoyagi-san."

Seimei nodded, and an agreement was forged.


	9. 9: Heartbeat

Emmaline stared out at the snow falling from outside of his window, it was so pure and beautful th way it fell to the earth, fluttering. He blinked, gazing adirmably, his long lashes almost touching the tops of his eyelids.

He would have never agreed to this...he shouldn't have. But his mother was imposing, and after all, this was how it was supposed to be.

He sighed, his body tired from th day's work. The training was so rigorous, so painful. But Emmaline would do it...and even maybe learn to enjoy it, because he had to be better. He had to have some kind of meaning to his life, wasn't he created to be the best? To be like his so called father, this Agatsuma Soubi?

Emmaline narrowed his eyes as he stared out the window, his lips pressed into a hard line.

Emmaline turned to hear a knock at the door. He scooted to the edge of his bed, sitting with his legs dangling off of the edge.

Natsuo edged her way in, sitting next to the boy with a wet towel in her hand.

"You stopped bleeding yet? Let me check your back."

Emmaline turned letting her check undernieth his shirt. She ran her hands over the long lash marks, feeling the slight stickiness of dried blood.

Emmaline bit his bottom lip, trying to shrug off the sudden stinging on his back.

He flattened his ears as he sucked in a breath, sharply.

Natsuo tsked.

"It's not so bad...right? Pain? I think you'll be just fine. Just don't let Sensei...or Youji for the matter...see you cringe"

Emmaline stared at the celing, letting out a breath.

"I am fine. I knew this would be dificult. Don't waste your time on me."

Natsuo frowned, bringing a warm washcloth to his cuts, washing them.

"Youji, he's not a bad person, ya know. He's just trying to do the right thing. He really wants to be Headmaster someday. And concidering that one day he will be, he has to train you well. Ritsu sensei depends on it."

Emmaline turned to Natsuo's gaze and glared at her.

"I heard you were really a guy, what happened, why are you runnign around pretending to be a girl, huh?!"

Natsuo's eyes widened in suprise.

"You sure are a perseptive little brat aren't you."

Emmaline raised a brow, a smirk on his cherubic features.

"You have lady's chest don't you, a guy doesn't have those."

Natsuo looked down and humphed.

"Oh these?" The Zero grabbed her breasts and pushed them together. "Hah, they were a peresnt for Youji,He likes boobs!"

Emmaline gasped, red flooding his features.

"So you are a guy! Why would you get those put on you?! That's so strange! Guys don't do stuff like that! ...do...do you still have..have-."

Natsuo frowned at the angelic boy, rubbing her chin.

"Yeah I do still have a cock, if that's what you're asking. Like I would ever get rid of that! But Youji said he would like it if he could feel boobs so I got him some. No big deal."

Emmaline gasped in embarasment, covering his mouth.

"Are you Youji's boyfriend?!"

Natsuo nodded.

"We were gonna get married but I said no because I hate stuff like that. But I think I might when we get older. Did you know your dad is gay too?"

Emmaline looked at Natsuo incredulously.

"I don't think this is a conversation to have with a grade school child. It's perverted."

Natsuo just shrugged as she cleaned the boys back.

"Get used to it, everything that comes out of my mouth seems to be inappropriate."

XXXXXXXXX

"I had an interesting talk with Nagisa Sensei the other day, Ritsuka."

Ritsuka reached for the shampoo from behind his older brother's back.

"Oh? What does she want?"

Seimei adjusted his postion in the bathtub, he was stitting across from Ritsuka, his legs bent over the smallers boys.

"She called me because she wanted to make a kind of proposition. It seems she's interested in getting Ritsu back for treating her badly."

Ritsuka huffed, using a cup to rinse out his hair.

"Did you tell her to get in line?"

Seimei laughed, rubbing his soapy loofa over his chest.

"Haha, no. But she did ease my mind about you a bit. She wants to help us."

Ritsuka looked up questioning his brother with his eyes.

"Help us?"

"Yes with the baby... she wants to help us monitor your pregnany. I can tell that she doesn't have much left, Ritsu has taken everything from her you know."

Ritsuka frowned as he rested a hand on his slightly rounded stomach.

"Well no, I don't really think about her much."

Seimei shrugged, risning his body off.

"I don't at all really, but it made me realize how much she really loved her Zero pair. Youji especailly,but Risu took him from her, training him after himself."

Ritsuka sighed.

"Oh...makes sense. I feel sort of bad for her...I guess. she's still not a very nice lady."

Seimei scratched his head.

"I told her we were interested, Ritsuka you can't go to a regular hospital, you know. We need to make sure everything is going to be Ok with our child. She wants to take you from him, you know. I guess because he put so much into his experimant on you. She wants to be able to say she one-uped him, I suppose. I honestly don't care what the hell her issue is with him. I just want to know that we have someway to medically take care of our baby."

Ritsuka bit his lip pondering this news. He looked up at Seimei, smiling softly.

"Can we have an ultra sound?"

Seimei laughed a little smearing a bit of his bath bubbles on Ritsuka's nose.

Ritsuka sneezed.

"HEY!"

"Of course we can, she said she has the equipment to take care of the pregnancy and child birth. I think this is exactly what we needed."

Ritsuka's amused features suddenly turned white as he looked up at his brother's loving gaze.

"Child birth? How exactly is that supposed to happen? They're gonna cut it out of me right?"

Seimei grimaced.

"I-I don't know Ritsuka, I'm not even sure how this could have physically happened to you in the first place....I don't even know where our baby is,in there."

Seimei placed a hand on Ritsuka's belly, rubing it lightly.

Ritsuka blushed.

"I know where it is...Ritsu told me before you came to slash him up."

Seimei blushed a little, averting his eyes.

"It's in a womb...or something. He said that it's a little like what girls have but it's in a diferent place...and it looks a little diferent. He said it was right exactly above my badder."

Seimei's eyes widened and hs blush deepened.

"Wow, how unique."

Ritsuka laughed a little.

"I guess, I mean I just think it's kind of weird. But he did tell me that if I were to have a baby with a girl that I could only have sons."

Seimei leaned back against the tile, crossing his arms.

"Do tell, Ritsuka."

"Well, he just said that since guys make 'X' cells and 'Y' cells my body had to use the 'X' cells I make to form eggs and the 'Y' cells are whats left to make...um..you know..."

Seimei chuckled, petting Ritsuka's slilky wet hair.

"Sperm? hah, you're so cute. Still so young."

Ritsuka frowned, looking down.

"I am not."

XXXXXXXXXX

"I still don't see why you have to bring the peanut gallery."

Ritsuka shook his head, irritated.

"Can we just go to my appoinment without one of you starting something? This important to me, we're gonna see the baby today."

Soubi leaned forward, petting Ritsuka on the head.

"Then we can finally see who the baby belongs too!"

Ritsuka grimaced at Soubi, sighing.

Seimei turned to glare daggers in Soubi's amused face, narrowing his beautiful eyes.

"OF COURSE THE BABY BELONGS TO ME, YOU IDIOT!"

Kio grinned, pullng Soubi back into his seat.

"Of course of course, Aoyagi-san, that is ...unless being raped by Soubi's eyes could get him pregnant."

Seimei growled, looking at the road.

"If I catch you groping my little brother with your eyes again I'm going to pull them out of your head, Soubi."

Soubi's eyebrows raised.

"I'd listen to him...you saw what he did to Ritsu...but you might look sexy with an eyepatch."

Kio patted his sulking friend on the back, grinning.

Seimei grit his teeth, rubbing his temples.

"Ritsuka, I don't know how I'm gonna get through this day..."

Ritsuka patted his brother's hand, smiling.

"I'll be eternally gratful to you, for your sacrifice."

Seimei laughed.

"Anything for you."

They pulled around Seven Voices Academy, driving behind the main building and infront of Nagisa's lab. The place were Youji and Natsuo were born.

The four piled out of the car, walking toward the smaller building.

The we're greeted a blue haired woman in a short black dress and a white lab coat.

"Aoyagi-kun."

Seimei nodded.

"He wants to see the baby today. Could you manage that?"

Nagisa frowned, jamming her hands into her pockets.

"Well of course I can. I do have a medical degree, I'm certified."

Ritsuka waved at Nagisa, one hand on his tummy.

Nagisa showed the goup into her Lab, opening the door for them.

The lab was brighter than Ritsu's, sun light cascaded into the large wondows through the trees, making all of the metal appliances sparkle.

Ritsuka smiled.

"This isn't so bad...I usually don't like labs...but it's nice in here, and it smells like a lady."

Nagisa raised a brow, looking through Ritsuka's medical file.

"Well I don't like dungeons, like Minami. I like places that smell nice."

Seimei placed an arm around Ritsuka's shoulder, waiting.

"So what's on the agenda."

Nagisa looked up, blinking.

"we're gonna use the ultra sound today, and see how far along the baby has developed. Seeing as how Ritsuka is already showing, Minami must have been right about it developing at a faster rate."

Nagisa sensei walked over to Ritsuka and directed him to a small hospital bed in the back of the Lab.

"You should feel special, Ritsuka-kun. I brought this bed from the infirmary just for your visits."

She proceeded to take his vitals, listening to his heart and lungs, and taking his temperature and blood pressure.

"Hmmm, your temerature is a little high, but that's good, it because of your hormones. You seem to check out in the health area."

Nagisa sat in a chair next to Ritsuka's bedside, still rifling though his health records, writting things.

"But I still need to pull some blood from you, for testing. We want to make sure everything is ok, make sure the child doesn't have any disorders."

Semei paled and looked down at Nagisa with a worried visage.

"Do you think that's a possiblily?! Because we're brothers?"

Nagisa looked up at Seimei, biting her lip.

"Well there are always health risks for every pregnancy, Aoyagi-kun. But normaly if this were to happen, children bred by siblings would have a very high complication risk, because you both have the same DNA that was given to you by both of by your parents. But seeing as how you are his half brother, the risk is cut in half...and also..." Nagisa sighed, looking over to Ritsuka. "When Ritsu did this to you, he severly altered your chromosomes and DNA to make it so you could bare children. Your DNA and Seimei's DNA no longer match because of that. So it's almost as though the child would have parents who arn't related at all."

Seimei let out a sigh of releif, scratching the back of his head.

"That's good to hear. Oh...and I needed to ask about sex. Is it safe for Ritsuka?"

Nagisa's eyes widened as she continued to pull blood from Ritsuka, gently slipping the needle from the boy's arm."It's safe, it won't hurt Ritsuka or the baby at all. Once he becomes bigger though it maybe hard for him."

She placed the few tubes of his blood into a steel refridgerator and then walked over to a closet, pushing out a rather large machine. She brought it over to Ritsuka's bedside and raised a brow.

"Ready to see that baby?"

Ritsuka looked up at her, sucking in an excited breath.

"O-of course."

Nagisa raised the boy's shirt up over his belly, her eyes widening.

"Would you look at that...wow."

Ritsuka blushed and Seimei glared at her.

"I didn't mean any offence, it's just suprising. To see a boy like this...is asontishing."

"Don't make him feel awkward." Seimei said, sounding like he was chastizing a child.

Nagisa frowned.

"I have to aply some of this water based gel stuff, it's been warmed though so it won't be cold."

Nagisa pushed the clear substance out of a white tube and onto Ritsuka's stomach, she then turned to the machine, pressing a few buttons.

"You'll be able to see the baby on this screen right here. It'll take me a minute to find it though, since it's still small."

Ritsuka nodded and evey one in the room stared at the small computer screen, waiting for a glimpse of the tiny baby.

Nagisa pressed the transducer firmly to the boy's lower stomach, moving it around slowly. Looking back at the screen, she wrinkled her brow in concentration. After a few minutes, Nagisa grumbled, rubbing her temples.

"What is it?" Kio asked, leaning over Soubi's shoulder to get a closer look.

Nagisa let out a sigh.

"It's the womb's placment...I don't think I can see the baby because Ritsuka's organs are in the way."

Ritsuka sighed, looking disappointed. He bit his lip, staring up at Seimei's gentle features.

Nagisa apllied more of the gell and moved the tranducer over Ritsuka's side, running it next to his hip bone. she gasped.

"I think I got it!"

They all looked over to the screen, they saw a small fluttering on it acompanied by a strange noise that sounded a little like swishing.

"What's that?! Ritsuka exclaimed looking up at the screen.

"It's the heartbeat, Ritsuka." Seimei smiled, leaning down to kiss his brother softly.

Nagisa nodded, leaning over to type some things on the key pad.

"That is a side veiw of your baby, although you're only 14 weeks along the baby looks as thuogh it's around 20 weeks old. See, you can even see it's ears on it's head!"

They all stared the the computer in awe, not moving or speaking. Ritsuka gasped.

"Oh Seimei look at it!"

Seimei's cheeks were stained a deep red as he stared wordlesly at his child.

Nagisa looked up at Ritsuka, knitting her brow together.

"Have you felt it move yet? Inside of you?"

Ritsula snapped out of his stupor and met Nagisa's gaze.

"Oh...um...not really. Once in a while I get this tickling feeling, but that's all."

The sensei nodded and looked back over to the screen, curiously.

"You know, we can tell the sex at this age but, I'm pretty sure I won't be able to see it because of the angle we have to use just to see the baby."

Soubi looked over at Nagisa, frowning.

"So we'll never get to know until it's born?"

The woman shook her head, tapping on a few keys of the key pad.

"I don't think so, unless the child changes it's position, which it may. But let's hope it doesn't, it's not a good thing."

Nagisa printed out a few pictures of the sonagram, placing them in a small white evalope.

She came back over to the bed and handed them to Seimei, a small smile on her features.

"Here are the pictures, Aoyagi-kun. This sin't so bad...I almost forgot how much I like babies. when they're not mine of course."

Seimei took the envalope, slipping it into into his back pocket.

"I think thanks are in order."

Nagisa shrugged.

"It's a favor on both ends. we don't need to thank eachother."

Seimei nodded.

XXXX

Soubi had stepped out of the Lab for some fresh air. It was hard to see Ritsuka like that...even though he was happy, even though a baby wasn't a bad thing...this was still hard for a 16 year old boy to go through.

He strolled into the courtyard of his old school, lighting his cigarette, the sun shown high above him and the sky was clear, making the afternoon beatutiful. He sucked in the scent of familiar flowers growing wildly around him. Minami always liked the flowers the bloomed in winter.

He sat on an old bench, taking a long drag off of his cigarette. Ritsuka's baby was already cute, he thought, those little ears...

Soubi heard the crunch of dead leaves behind him, he turned to see who was aproaching him...although he already knew the aura well.

"What's going on here Soubi? What is the monster doing back on campus?"

Soubi stared at Ritsu sensei like a deer in head lights.

"It's none of my business, I was just asked to come."

Ritsu leaned over Soubi's shoulder , getting close enough to breath his air.

"Perhapse you came over here becuse you know what time I like to garden."

Soubi blushed profusley, sucking in a deep breath.

"I-I havn't remembered. I surley would have avoided it had I recalled."

Ritsu pressed his nose into Soubi's hair, breathing deeply.

"You smell like I remembered.... and your face is just as lovley."

Soubi gasped, his heart thumping in his chest.

Ritsu let out a small groan, stroking his former student's hair.

"I-I have to leave. We're gonna leave soon." Soubi whispered, shutting his eyes lightly.

Ritsu pulled away, looking dejectedly at Soubi's somber face.

"Things will never be the way they were...will they?"

Soubi grit his teeth, feeling his chest swell with hurt.

"No, never. It was never right, and I see that now. And I'm happy these days, I always just felt hurt with you."

Ritsu stared at him over his glasses, blinking his transparant eye.

"We hurt eachother, but I still long for those times...I remeber when you were mine, Soubi."

Soubi shut his eyes, feeling his throat close up.

"I'm going now. I'll pretend I never saw you."

Soubi rose up from the bench and walked past his former Sensei, turning his face away.

XXX

Behind a tangleded mess of thorney rose bushes a blond haired boy sat, hinding.

He watched as the Headmaster tried to seduce the man he found to be his father.

"So that's him?" Emmaline whispered. "He's so tall...and he looks beautiful."

Emmaline flattened his ears to his head, wrapping his arms around his legs. he rested his head in his lap and sighed.

"I wish I could meet him... I wish I knew why Ritsu wants me to be like him so badly."

The boy was startled when he heard someone standing over him. He looked up suddenly, blushing.

"Sensei!" Emmaline exclaimed.

Ritsu raised a brow, his arms crossed.

"What are you doing?"

Emmaline glared at his teacher.

"I was watching you."

Ritsu pursed his lips.

"I can feel your battle radius, even as young as you are...you're going to be a strong Sentoki."

Emmaline knit his brow together.

"That's how you found me?"

Ritsu leaned down and pulled the boy up by his colar, yanking him up to his face.

"What goes on between me and Soubi is of no concern to you, you brat. So get inside that school and back to class before I punish you again, severly."

Emmaline narrowed his eyes, his small features becoming ferce.

"I not afraid of you, you old fag. Beat me if you want, it only hurts once."

Ritsu wrapped his hand around the boy's throat, squeezing.

"Strong words comming from a weak mouth. I'll be sure to make it hurt more than once, the maybe you'll learn some disipline."

Ritsu let go of Emmaline's throat and the boy fell to his knees, gasping.

"Come now, let's go into my office, I think we need to have a serious talk."


	10. 10:A Very Aoyagi Christmas

Seimei glared at Soubi's confused face, rubbing his temples.

"I'm telling you to get Ritsuka out of here for a while, I'm trying to do something!"

Soubi knit his brow together.

"So you want Kio and I to take him out? For how long?"

"Until I call you and tell you to come back, do you think you can handle that Soubi?"

Soubi frowned. "Is that an order?"

Seimei looked at Soubi incredulously.

"Why do you insist in trying me over and over, knowing that I'm trying my hardest to get along with you people!"

Soubi gave the Sacrifce a mischevious smile, tuning to head toward Ritsuka's room.

"I'll go get him."

XXXX

Ritsuka was busy trying to pull his black and pink striped shirt over his growing belly. He frowned, pulling at it's hem.

"Seimei, my pants won't button anymore." He whined, turning to his brother.

Seimei raised a brow, looking up from his book.

"Really? We can't have you running around with your pants undone. Come here let me have a look."

Ritsuka sauntered over to where Seimei sat, pouting. Semei just laughed, tugging at his little brother's waist.

"Hmmmm...this poses a problem, let me see what I can do..."

Seimei reached up and pulled the ruberband hold up Rituka's hair, he then looped it around the hole in the boy's jeans, hooking the band on his button.

Ritsuka grinned.

"You always know how to fix things Seimei." He trew his arms around Seimei neck, tackling his onto the bed.

Seimei laughed, tightening his hold around the boy's waist.

"You have to be careful my love, you don't want to squish the baby do you?"

Ritsuka shook his head avidly.

"Good now go get your sweater on, Soubi and Kio have been waiting forever for you."

Ritsuka nodded, getting up from between Seimei's legs. It took him more effort than he wanted to admit, but he shrugged it off, heading off into the livingroom.

"Ready yet Rit-chan! I'm getting old here!" Kio pipped, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets. Soubi rolled his eyes.

"Don't listen to him, if you have to take forever then take for ever Ritsuka, it's fine."

Ritsuka frowned, pouting.

"I'm not taking that long...Seimei just had to fix my pants, I guess they're too small already."

Soubi looked down at the specially rigged waist band, and laughed.

"that's so cute! I guess we'll have to get you maternity clothes!"

"yay!!! Clothes shopping!" Kio chimed in, clapping.

Ritsuka just stared at them in horror.

"Ma-ma-ma-."

"Come let's go shopping!" Kio shouted, grabbing the catatonic boy's hand.

"BUt I don't want maternity clothes!" Ritsuka cried.

Kio shrugged, pulling him out the door.

"Maybe you shouldn't have gone all the way with your brother then."

Soubi shut the door behind them, shaking his head.

XXXXX

Seimei looked around the empty house sighing. He couldn't believe how empty it looked.

Seimei shook his head in disappointment. He understood why Soubi didn't celebrate Christmas, but why not Kio?!

"Ritsuka must be so sad..." Seimei whispered to himself as he walked out to his car. "I will take care of this."

He unlocked the car, pulling out a huge box of decorations, he stumbled backward, almost falling over.

"Holy hell!" He exclaimed, regaining his balance.

He lugged the box up stairs, carfully, trying not to fall over again.

He reached the apartemnt and tossed the bow on the ground, panting. Seimei went over to the radio hanging from the botom of the cabnet in the kitchen and turned it on, smiling.

"Good evening! And Meri-kurisumasu! It's Zen yasai, Kurisumasu (A/N Christmas eve) and we're playing the best in western music for you tonight., like a great rendition of Rudloph the akai hana Tonakai, and Chinchin Yobirin!" (A/N loosley translates to jingle bells)

Seimei smiles, wiping his brow. Maybe this would put him more in the christmas spirit.

He sighed pulling out his cell phone, he called a number and waited somewhat impatiently for the other line to pick up,tapping his foot.

"Kurisumaus Mastsunoki Senmu!" (A/N loosly translates to Christmas Pinetree Service -_-')

"I Need a tree...now."

The line was silent, and Seimei wasn't sure but he thought he heard laughing on the other end. He grit his teeth, rubbing his temples.

"Yes, I need a tree now, and I need it delivered."

He was sure he heard laughing now.

"You're crazy, it's Christmas eve and You expect us to deliver you tree this short notice? You must have a very big pocket book."

Seimei growled, he was really trying not to overreact, as Ritsuka put it, but he was passed his line of good judgment. He was mad now.

"God damn it, you bring me a tree right now or I'll come down there and purge your bodies of every drop of blood it posseses, until you all lay dry and brittle like a bunch of washed up, sun bleached, seaurchins!"

The man on the other line coughed nervously.

"Oh , excuse me sir, I didn't realized how urgent this was. If you have enough to cover the costs we'll be glad enough to bring the tree to your residence."

Seimei sighed, running his hands through his hair.

"If you get here fast enough I'll spare your lives."

XXXXXXX

Ritsuka walked out of the dressing room, blushing profusely. He looked down, averting his eyes from Kio and Soubi's stare.

"You look adorible Rit-chan! I think dresses suit you!"

Ritsuka looked up and glared daggers at his friend.

"Boys don't wear dresses, Kio."

Soubi raised his hand, smiling.

"Yes they do, Ritsuka, drag queens wear them all the time."

The boy gasped, his face becoming even redder.

"I'm not a drag queen!!"

Ritsuka retreated into the dressing room again, pulling the little black maternity dress over his head and throwing it to the floor. He reached for a grey v neck sweater and pulled it on, studying his refection in the mirror. This wasn't so bad, it looked like something he might wear if he wasn't getting bigger by the day.

He threw it in a pile with some jeans and a few shirts and vests he had picked out. It was his "keep" pile.

He sighed, putting his regular clothes back on, some of his clothes still had tail holes in them...so it was about time he went shopping anyway he shrugged. Ritsuka tried to slip on his shoes, but much to his dismay even they were getting tighter on his feet.

"Damn it all!" He exclaimed, bending over to pick up his "keep" pile.

Soubi knocked on the door, bending over to look into the small white stall. Ritsuka frowned at him.

"Why did you knock if you were just gonna use your hight to spy on me anyway?"

Soubi smiled, shrugging.

"To be polite?"

Ritsuka blushed, opening the door.

"I don't know why they make these things so damn small, this is a pregnant people store, they know how huge we all are!"

Kio raised a brow, taking Ritsuka's new clothes from his arms.

"You're not that big yet, Rit-chan, you'll probably get quite a bit bigger."

Soubi clasped a hand over Kio's mouth, shaking his head nervously.

Ritsuka gave a exasperated sigh.

"I love spending time with you guys, alot, and I really needed to get Seimei a gift...but forgive me if I'm missing him. I kind of just want to go home and spend Christmas eve with my brother. It's been so long since I have."

Soubi frowned, rubbing the back of his head.

"I understand, so um...what do you say we go find that gift for him and we'll head home. Ok?"

Ritsuka smiled widley, following Kio to the check out area.

"Really?! You guys usually make me shop until I can't bare to stand anymore!"

Kio laughed looking over to Soubi's grimace.

"are we really that bad?"

Ritsuka nodded, his face serious.

"Yes."

They left the depatement store and back out into the mall. It was fantasically decorated, seeming almost surreal, with it's gigantic velvet bows and gloden lights shimmering eveywhere. Every inch of the place glimmered with a soft glow and smelled lightly of fresh coffee and pine. Ritsuka gazed at all of the red and gold, he smiled when he saw teddy bears and rocking horses suspened before the crowd of people shopping.

He watched as happy couples strolled around, holding hands and conversating. They all seemed so relaxed, so proccupied with being happy.

He sighed, smiling lightly.

Soubi elbowed him.

"Hey wanna go into that store?"

Ritsuka turned to see two giant windows with a bunch of colorful boxes wrapped elegantly in silver ribbon. He was so busy marvling over the oversized oresnats he almost didn't notice that it was a childrens store.

They all walked over to the place that was called "Heads and Tails". Ritsuka blinked in wonder as he walked past all of the baby displays, each one with thier own theme. He stopped at a display with a exquiste crib, made with a light colored wood and covered in white lace ruffles. His head beat began to speed up as he stared intently at all of the little outfits.

"Th-they're so tiny..." He whispered, reaching out to touch one of the little white dresses.

"This your first?"

Ritsuka was interupted the soft sweet voice of a looked up suddenly, blushing profusly.

"H-Huh? What?" Ritsuka looked down and placed a hand intinctivley on his belly. "Oh...um yes...it's my first baby."

The woman was so pretty, she was quite a bite older than him, but she had a youngness about her. The way her auburn curles cascaded around her face made her look almost angelic. Ritsuka stared at her and then he could eel his face grow hot.

Oh, he thought suddenly, she looks like a older girl version of Seimei.

"Oh, let me se here...can I guess?"

Ritsuka looked up, blinking.

"Oh...you want to touch?"

The woman nodded sheepishly.

"Sorry I just love motherhood, it's why I work here. Hah, I have four of my own." She laughed softly, covering her mouth. She was a few inches taller than Ritsuka was. "I hope it's not too forward of me, Ma'am."

Ritsuka shook his head, removing his hands from his stomach. Ma'am?

"You can feel. It's ok."

The woman reached down and placed a hand on Ritsuka's tummy, looking concentrated.

"Hmmm I'm guessing about five or maybe even six months."

Ritsuka gaped at her, blushing deeply.

"I-I..." He thought for a moment before he remebered how quickly he was developing. "Oh...heh, you're right. F-five months."

She smiled broadly, removing her hand.

"Do you know what it is yet?"

Ritsuka looked at his shoes, shaking his head.

"My doctor said at my ultra sound that we couldn't see it. Had something to do with the angle and the baby's possition."

The beautiful woman frowned, arching her brow.

"That's too bad, I always look forward to that, knowing what it is." She grinned suddenly again, placing a hand on Ritsuka's shoulder. "I can tell you what it is! I'm pretty good at predicting."

Ritsuka smiled at the woman, nodding.

"Sure!"

The woman placed her hand on his belly again, feeling it at diferent angles. She then stood back with her hand on her chin, examining.

"Hmmm...judging on how you look...hmmm...I'd say you were having a boy!"

Ritsuka looked down at his belly, grinning.

"You think so? I'll have to come back and tell you after I have it, to see if you were right."

The woman nodded, laughing a bit.

"Of course!" She rubbed the back of her head, smiling bashfully. "Oh, I forgot to introduce myself, I'm Mikoko Saskia. Pleased to meet you Miss...miss?"

Ritsuka blushed again, placing a hand on his back.

"I-I'm Ritsuka Aoyagi."

XXXXX

Soubi reached through all of the toys in the very back of the children's store. he rifled through the clearance items, frowning.

"Do you think Seimei would like this?" Soubi held up a dingy looking jiggaly lizzard toy. Kio slapped it out of his hand.

"You can't be serious, Sou- chan. Why are you even getting that prick a present? I mean, come on, he stole Ritsuka from you, seduced him, got him pregnant, and then he started squating in our house!"

Soubi rolled his eyes at Kio, smiling.

"He can't steal something from me that was never mine in the first place, Kio-kun."

Kio frowned, picking up a light -up yoyo.

"What do you mean?"

Soubi sighed placing his arm across Kio's shoulders.

"I mean when Seimei took him, he had said somthing to me that I couldn't forget...I just couldn't stop thinking about it. He told me that Ritsuka was always his...and that he loved him. I didn't understand that until Ritsuka came home and we learned what he and Seimei had done. Then I understood it. I was always Ritsuka's protector and friend to him...and I could never be more than that because, Ritsuka and Seimei belonged to one another, since way before I had ever met either one of them."

Kio nodded, looking at his shoes.

"I guess that makes sense. But you know, i think you need something in your life that makes you happy...when have you ever had someone like that?"

Soubi looked down at Kio with startled features.

"What do you mean?! I've had someone like that for years!"

Kio made an incedulous face at him, his hands on his hips.

"I don't mean Ritsuka, he has Seimei you dork."

Soubi shook his head, frowning.

"You can be very slow sometimes Kio."

KIo looked up at his friend, studying his intent features.

"Slow?"

Soubi leaned down and softly covered Kio's mouth in a kiss. It was very sweet, intending only to show emmotion. He moved his mouth over Kio's slowly, tasting him just a bit.

Kio sood there with eye's like saucers, his face the deepest red. He gasped into Soubi's mouth with suprise. He let them moment sink in before he shut his eyes tightly, grabbing a fist full of Soubi's soft blond hair.

They kissed for a minute passionatly, before Soubi pulled away from him; Kio gasped.

"SOU-CHAN!"

Soubi laughed, putting his arm back around Kio's shoulders.

"Let's go get Ritsuka."

XXXXXXXXXXX

Seimei had just finished sliding a few more rolls of Sushi onto a ceramic place when he heard the key turn in lock. He smiled broadly, feeling excited.

After all of the work he had gone through to decorate the aparment and the tree, after cooking all of the cakes and making the sushi here was the moment he had been waiting for. He sure had gone through hell with that damn tree delivering service...those bastards left the tree next to the stairs, rang the door bell, and then took off in thier truck; leaving Seimei to pull the damn tree up the stairs by himself.

Seimei growled...they didn't even ask for their payment.

"Frosty the Konayuki Man" played in the background as Ritsuka entered the apartment. Seimei grinned as he saw his little brother's eyes widen, his lovley mouth slightly agape.

"Oh Seimei..." He breathed, looking around slowly.

The peanut gallery was silent for once as they stared at their newly transformed aparment, hand in hand.

Ritsuka dropped the presents in his arms and ran over to Seimei. his arms out stretched.

Seimei laughed sweetly as Ritsuka threw his arms around his waist.

"Oh I love it, I absoluslty love it! OH Seimei... are these the old decorations from our house...my god." Ritsuka sobbed happily into his brother's chest, going between laughing and crying.

Seimei pet his hair, leaning down to kiss his head.

"I couldn't let Ritsuka go through the holiday without a tree...Don't cry please."

Ritsuka looked up into his brother's eyes, blinking back tears.

"I don't know why I'm crying, I feel so silly...is that cake?"

Seimei looked behind him at the pink cakae adorned by robbons.

"Oh yes, I like sweets, You know that." Seimei wrinkled his nose and smiled down at Ritsuka's glimmering eyes.

Ritsuka nodded and took his hand.

"Let's eat brother, I'll tell you about my day...I met the most interesting woman."

Seimei walked with him over to the table, a satisfied look on his face.

"You'll have to tell me all about it."

Kio watched as the brothers laughed and smiled, forgetting the rest of the world exsisted.

"Is this what you meant, Sou-chan?"

Soubi nodded, his hand on Kio's lower back.

"Yes, but I realized after my revalation, that I was never alone...I've always had you, Kio."

Kio stared off smiling, his chest aching at his memories.

"Always."

Soubi smiled, looking down at his friend over his glasses.

"Thank you, Kio-kun. I've never had anyone better."

Kio frowned, looking up at his taller friend.

"Really, what about Ritsuka, or Minami...I know you were close to him."

Soubi shook his head, pulling Kio into a tight hug. Kio blushed, looking around, before he rested his head on Soubi's chest.

"You always took care of me...after Seimei faked his death...when I was at my worst. I-I can't ever repay you for that, but just know that I hold you deep in my heart."

Kio's eyes widened and he wrapped his arms around Soubi's waist.

"You know...you don't have to stay on the couch...you could always share my room with me."

Soibi raised a brow, looking down at Kio's head.

"Well, the couch is getting to be bit uncomfortable..."

Kio smiled, looking up to meet Soubi's gaze.

"You sure you want to eat sushi made by an evil axe murderer?"

Soubi shurgged.

"I heard they were the best cooks, I bet the tuna is spicey."

They both laughed in unison, still holding tightly to one another.


	11. 11:Execute

Ritsu stared out the window, his hands clasped behind his back.

Youji stared down at his lap. He wasn't sure why the headmaster like his lights off in his office during daylight hours, he supposed he prefered natural light.

"I have to tell you something, it's an order more than a request." Ritsu said this without turning to face his apprentice.

Youji turned his head, frowning.

"An order?"

Ritsu nodded.

"You will be sure that if I fail...you will kill Aoyagi Seimei."

Youji's eyes widened as he sat at Ritsu's desk.

"You think you might fail?"

Ritsu turned to Youji, his face strong and stoic.

"Seimei is gifted, incredibly gifted...and I am not in the kind of shape I used to be." Ritsu looked down at his slung arm, scowling. "You need not to try and do this yourself...if I fail. Emmaline will be fine for the mission. I've talked with the Oracle, if he's trained correctly he will be unbelievably strong."

Youji gaped at at him, knitting his brow together.

"You expect me to send a six year old boy to kill Aoyagi Seimei? That's suicide."

Ritsu growled, rubbing his temples.

"No, you idiot, when he's an adult. As headmaster you cannot leave this place to battle people, that's ridiculous. If something where to happen to you, there would be no one to take over."

Youji nodded, suddenly understanding.

"So you just want me to make sure it happens then, Ok, of course I will." The apprentice sighed, biting his lip. "And what about Ritsuka...Soubi...the child?"

Ritsu's mouth straightened into a hard line.

"Do nothing to my son...or Soubi for that matter, but you must intercept the child, or it must die. We can't have the spawn of that monster on the loose around here to create the same havoc or trying to avenge Seimei's death."

Youji sucked in a breath, running his hands through his hair.

"Do you really think that's necessary? To execute the child?"

"Yes! If i don't see to it while the child is young, you must make sure that when it's older that he is eliminated."

Youji stared down at his hands, looking dejected.

"I understand."

XXXXX

Ritsuka sat in the livingroom watching late night television and eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich made out of waffles. He sipped his milk watching attentively and rubbing his rounded belly. He was so engrossed that he didn't even notice Seimei staring at him from the hallway.

Ritsuka looked up and gasped suddenly,eyeing Seimei's unbuttoned white shirt.

"What are you doing up so late,Seimei?!"

Seimei laughed softly, walking over to where his little brother was sitting.

"I fell asleep in my clothes, and when I woke up you weren't in the room, so I went to investigate."

The taller boy knelt down before Ritsuka, taking his little brother's chin in his hand.

"Look at you..." Seimei purred, staring at him with appreciative features. "You've got some peanut butter right here."

Ritsuka's cheeks flushed deeply as Seimei bent his head down licking the corner of his little brother's mouth, grinning.

"S-Seimei! Hey...what are you-."

Seimei cut him off when he started to sensually kiss his neck, pressing himself up against Ritsuka's knee. Ritsuka's eye's widened.

"Seimei! ...you're hard..."

Seimei riased a brow, blushing just a bit.

"How can I help it when Ritsuka looks so provocative?"

Ritsuka laughed a little, his face still blushing.

"I don't see how I'm provocative...I'm fat and in my pj's, not to mention I'm busy stuffing my face and...wait"

Seimei's got redder when he realized that Ritsuka had figured out his little fetish.

"You always act this way when I eat sweet stuff...are you..."

Seimei sat back shaking his head vigorously.

"I-I don't know what you're trying to imply..."

"And come to think of it...when we were younger you always wanted to feed me my cake and stuff, and you always said your favorite food was sweets..."

Seimei bit his lip, looking at the floor.

"But you're so cute when you're so messy...and when you have cake and you get the frosting on your cheek...I want to just... lick it off."

Ritsuka gaped.

"I was a little kid!"

Seimei shrugged.

"I'm not going to pretend that I've just recently been attracted to you."

Ritsuka blushed profusly, his heart beating faster.

"I'm not trying to embarrass you, Seimei...it's ok if this kind of thing turns you on."

Seimei became dark looking, face alight with a tinge of deviousness.

"Let's fuck Ritsuka."

Ritsuka shoved a hand over Seimei's mouth, his face burning.

"Seimei! ...so vulgar..."

Seimei pushed Ritsuka back onto the sofa, crawling between his legs.

"I want you."

"Seimei! here?! We can't Soubi and Kio-."

Ritsuka was cut off by Seimei's forcful kiss, his tounge pluging into his mouth. The younger boy sighed into his brother's kiss, submitting to it quickly.

"It's so late...they're asleep, they'll never know..." Seimei whispered into Ritsuka's ear, his voice deep and seductive.

Seimei was so clever, Ritsuka thought as his older brother manuvered his shirt over his head, still capturing Ritsuka's senses with shamless kisses on his chest and small bites here and there.

"Hnnn..." Ritsuka whined, arching his back. He gabbed onto Seimei's messy auburn hair and pulled at it.

Seimei just smiled crookedly, his features beatuifully pleased.

XXXX

Soubi kissed Kio's lips softly, panting still. He rolled over onto his back, covering his eyes with his arm.

"Th-that was- Nuh huh-." Kio laid back on his pillows as he tried to catch his breath, his face deeply flushed.

"I've never been on top before." Soubi laugh breathlessly, petting Kio's soft sweaty hair. "I liked it much better."

Kio smiled wistfully, leaning his forehead against Soubi's bare shoulder.

"Ive never...slept with a guy before."

Soubi sat up suddenly, raising a brow in confusion.

"But you made so many passes at me..."

Kio sat up too, shrugging his shoulders at Soubi.

"What? and that means I've had sex with guys before? I had just decided that I even liked guys when I met you. I hadn't really had time to sleep around, Sou-chan."

Soubi bit his lip, his face concerned.

"I should have been more gentile then, I was much too rough."

Kio laughed a little, petting Soubi's silky hair.

"Oh , I figured that's how you might be anyway, you have been sexually deprived waiting around for Rit-chan to give it up."

Soubi lauged, pushing Kio to his back and leaning over him.

"Sexually deprived?! I'll show you deprived!"

Kio let out a noise that sounded alot like a giggle (But every one knows that grown men don't giggle right?) as he struggled to push Soubi away from him.

"Yeah right! You know you just want to roll over and go to sleep! Forget about round two until tomorrow at least!"

Their laughter was interupted by what sounded like some kind of crying or whimpering.

Soubi looked over his shoulder at the door, frowning.

"What's that?!"

Kio raised a brow, propping himslef up on some pillows.

"That sounds like Ritsuka."

Soubi looked at Kio with anxious features.

"Do you think something is going on with the baby?!"

Kio shrugged, his eyes wide.

"Could be, I have no idea."

"I'm going to investigate."

Soubi stood up and searched around the floor for his underwear, he slid a black shirt over his head and pulled his hair up into a ponytail. He then reached for his glasses on the side table.

Kio sat up and watched as Soubi creeped out the door, leaving it cracked behind him.

Kio sat and waited, sitting on his knees. He strained to listen, holding his breath.

He didn't hear anything besides the faint whimpering of the younger boy.

"Hmmm..."

He was caught off gaurd when he saw Soubi fly into the bedroom, shutting the door quickly.

"What is it?!" Kio exclaimed, watching Soubi pull his shirt back over his head and slide into bed, his face so distorted it was unreadable.

"WHAT?!" Kio demended of his new boyfriend.

Soubi just seemed to choke.

"My eyes..."

"What?" Kio just looked at him with a confused visage.

"I just HAD to stop and put on my glasses..." Soubi sounded as if he was scolding himslef.

"Is Ritsuka ok?"

Soubi nodded.

"He and Seimei are both in the livingroom...I didn't say anything to them...I just left."

KIo frowned.

"Where they doing something?"

Soubi nodded, his face almost white. He looked so silly that Kio almost laughed at him.

"They were making out on the couch...their pants were all unbuttoned, I think they're gonna do it on our couch Kio...I saw Seimei sort of naked... it was all so horribly embarrassing."

" On our couch?!They didn't see you?!"

Soubi shook his head vigorously.

"I ran away."

Kio raised a brow, unsure of how to react.

"So you saw Seimei sort of naked, did you? What does that mean?"

Soubi looked at his boyfriend incrdulously, crossing his arms.

"I saw it."

Kio's eyebrows shot up.

"Is that right?! Is it small? It would be so funny if he was so evil, but he had a small dick. It would be like-."

"It isn't." Soubi cut him off, scowling.

"Oh..." Kio sighed. "Darn."

Soubi laid down and pulled Kio down with him.

"Can we just go to sleep...I want to forget what just happend."

Kio laid his head on Soubi's chest nodding.

"Of course we can."

XXXX

"What are you doing reading all of my medical books?" Ritsu walked into his labratory, reaching for a clean white lab coat and sliding it on.

A black hair figure sat in a missive form on the floor, his inky hair everywhere, sliding wildly over his bare back and shoulders.

"I'm looking for a way to fix me...I wanted to read every book you have in here."

"You look horrid with your hair so long...and what are you doing shirtless? Do you want every one to see you're deformity?"

The figure tunred to look into Ritsu's eyes, blinking.

Ritsu's mouth curved upward in disgust as he looked the creature over. His right arm is what you would notice first, it was covered in

obsidian colored fur from his claws all the way up to his shoulder, then the fur semmed to spread out into jagged designs shaped like lightning bolts, reaching across the right side of his back and chest. HIs eyes are what you might notice next...his right eye was a glowing gold color, it iris in a dimond shape, a cat's eye. His right however was a very light brown. He also had cat ear and a tail, desipte having not been a virgin for years...it was all a mutation, a gene splice, a horrible accident.

"Who's going to see my deformity except for you. I don't care if you look at me. It's not a surprise to you."

"I don't like looking at it Akira."

Akira narrowed his eyes, snarling, his fang like canines bared.

Ritsu scowled.

"You're becoming less and less like a human everyday, I'm going to start feeding you your food raw."

Akira scoffed, his face turning downward into a grimace.

"That's uncalled for, sensei."

Ritsu turned his back, pulling out a small white envelope, wrinkled with age. He pulled out the photos inside and stared at them in wonder.

"Don't get angry at me, Namame-kun, it's your fault you are like this."

Akira stood up, reaching for his worn out white button up shirt.

"It was supposed have to kill me." He stated blankly, picking up his shirt.

"Well I have something for you...it'll be a nice change for you if you don't mess it up this time."

Ritsu set the pictures down onto his desk, sighing.

"Follow me, and for christ's sake wrap your arm up in that cloth bandage I made for you, if some one sees you, you'll scare them."

Akira nodded and pulled the soft white cloth out of his pocket. He stuck his thumb into the thumb-hole and wrapped the bandage around his right arm. It was made for him...to hide his beast's then slipped his shirt on and buttoned it up half way.

"Fine, I'm done. Let's go."

Akira followed the headmaster out of the door slamming it behind him. The wind from the slam blew the pictures from off of Minami's desk, Ritsuka's sonograms fluttering to the floor.

They walked down a few couridors, Akira stopping everyonce in a while to stare out the wide windows at the wild flowers blooming outside.

"Come on, you're taking to long." Ritsu stated, turning and stopping, his arms crossed.

Akira just sighed morosly, looking out at the sky.

"I miss seeing the outside world."

Ritsu glared, grabbing ahold of Akira's collar.

"Let's go I don't have time for this today, Naname."

He pulled Akira down the last couridor and in front of two heavy wood double doors. A gold plaque on the fron read "Staff Library- Off Limits"

Akira raised a brow, staring at the doors.

Ritsu pulled out a large gold key, unlocking the doors. He pushed them open stopping to wait for Akira to enter.

The sentoki gasped.

"I-I can stay here?!"

Ritsu sighed setting his keys on one of the tables.

"Yes, you will be chained by your neck...you cannot escape this place. It pertanate that I keep you where I can deal with you best, were something to happen and you have a reaction."

Akira's ears flattened, his eyes somber.

"I don't think there's ever a change of that happening. Nothing's happened to me in years. I've been actactly the same, I havn't changed or aged or anythig in 5 years. I'm twenty two now...I think you can trust me just a little."

"No."

Minami went to a wall in the back where a heavey chain was screwed into the floor. He picked up a weigthed leather color that was hooked at the end of the chain.

"Come." He comanded, his glasses glinting in the light.

Akira walked over to him, elongating his neck so it could be hooked.

Ritsu wrapped it around his neck, pulling the leather strap through the buckle and yaknking it hard. He then pulled a small lock from his pocket and secured it to the collar, pushing it closed.

"I know you like to read, and now you can stare out the windows all you like. Don't make me regret this."

Akira sat on the floor, nodding. He grabbed the first book he saw and pulled it open.

"Thank you." He stated, not even looking up from the faded pages.

The headmaster turned to leave, locking the doors behind him.

As Akira read he became more and more fasinated. He turned to look at the book's cover and he frowned, the title read, "Dracula".

~.~.~.~.~.~ **Special Sneak Spoiler type thing For "Bond Of Oblivian" the Sequal to this Story....read at your Own Discression or Prepare to be Confused by new characters! Yun Kouga Style!!! ^.^ **

"We can't keep meeting like this."

Saskia hid his chin into his over sized scarf, his breath letting out steam into the night. He stared into the eyes of a six foot five figure with long white hair and beautiful clear eyes. He sighed admirably, stepping forward.

The figure shadowed by a street light looked down, blinking.

"I'm not sure how else to see you, every one is getting suspicious of me."

Saskia nodded.

"I know...me too. My dad and father are asking me alot of questions, they havn't seen my name but Eneko knows it exsists. I think he knows alot more about us than he's letting on. He was never a stupid kid...I-I'm afraid."

Emmaline knit his brow together, pulling his sacrifice into an tight embrace.

"Hey...we won't let anyone hurt your family...not Ritsuka or Seimei...not my father or your little brother...everyone will be ok."

Saskia gripped the elbows of his sacrifice's jacket, burrying his face into his hard stomach.

"Why does it have to be this way? Why can't I just see you when ever I want...it hurts when I can't see you."

Emmaline sighed, petting Saskia's hair.

"It's just how things turned out, but we're going to try and fix it."

Saskia lifted his head up, trying to make out Emmaline's features illuminated in the darkness.

How could he end up looking so much like a murderer, Emmaline thought. He has Seimei's face in every way, the wavey tresses framing his shapley face, those eyes that seemed to see right through a person, a strong narrow nose and full lips. He was his father's son, the only thing that looked different was the two beauty marks that adorned the bottom of his right eye. And yet, he was so pure, so loving and accepting, he didn't hate his father for killing so many people, he didn't hate his sentoki for being bitter...Saskia was very diferent. He had never met a soul who cared about him as much Saskia did, and they had only really known eachother for three weeks.

"What are you thinking about, Eme? You look lost. It makes you look like Sou-chan when you do that."

Emmaline blushed ubruptly.

"O-Oh, does it?"

Saskia laughed, his cheeks warming.

"Does that make you happy?"

Emmaline nodded sheepishly, shrugging.

"Good. You know...he's really a good guy, Soubi is. I really want you to meet him, it would make you happy, I think. I'm sure he'd love you right away."

Emmaline shook his head vigorously, his eyes wide.

"Bad idea."

Saskia frowned pulling away from his sentoki to pick lint out of his sweater pocket.

"Good idea...Eme."He stated, pouting a bit.

Emmaline sighed deeply, scratching the back of his head.

"I'm not good with people, Saskia, I don't want to meet him...I like the fantasies I have about him, I don't wanna ruin it."

Saskia frowned.

"But everything you fantasize about is real, Eme, he really is the way you picture him to be. He's strong and good, he's easy to like and he's been through the same kind of pain you have...I think you owe it to him to at least give him a try."

"I can't do that, Saskia, really...we're supposed to be seeing eachother in secret, you can't just have me come over to meet your Dad's sentoki, tell him I'm his son, and expect him not to say anything to Ritsuka-san."

Saskia bit his lip, lost in thought.

"I guess you're right, well promise me that you'll meet him at least after all of this fighting is over."

Emmaline blinked sadly at his sacrifice. To go against all of Septimal Moon was suicied, he thought, there would most likely be no "after".

"Ok, of course."

Saski grinned widley.

"OK! and Saskia get's to be there too?!" The sacrifice pointed to himself with an excited smile.

Emmaline stifled a laugh.

"Yes, yes. Saskia will be there too, of course."

Saskia put his arm into the crook of his Sentoki's,leaning his head on him as they walked away into the night.


	12. 12:Butterfly

"This isn't going to work...I just can't let him do this to Ritsuka..."

Youji looked up from his book frowning, Natsuo sitting on his lap.

"What will you do now? Ritsuka has to have the baby at the very least...he still has a month and a half left."

Ritsu paced the floor in the library slowly, looking out the window, his hands behind his back.

"No, no...he'd be coming to close, if he has the baby I'll never be able to eliminate it...this was my worst mistake, I'm not going to leave you to take care of it."

Youji stared at him in horror, his eyebrows knit together.

"Natsuo I think you should go for a bit."

Natsuo frowned, getting up.

"yeah, yeah...I'll go check on Emmaline...jerks."

He walked out, shutting the heavy doors behind him.

Youji sighed deeply.

"Just what do you plan on doing right now Sensei?" Youji sat up in his chair, running his hands through his hair.

Ritsu turned to his apprentice, glowering.

"I'm going to take care of the real problem...Seimei."

Youji looked at his sensei with confused features.

"I don't have any idea how your going to pull that off right now. What, are you gonna fist fight him?! You've seen how well that worked out for you every time that happened. Plus you don't have a Sentoki, what are you gonna do to him? Aoyagi Seimei doesn't even need one."

Ritsu growled, ropping his glasses from his face, he stared Youji in the eyes.

"he's not the only person who can defend themselves. I know what I'm doing you idiot, I've always known, always been one step ahead."

Youji stared up at Ritsu, cringing at his wounded eyes, his thick scars along his collar bone and chest.

"O-ok...I'll be prepared...were the worst to happen." Youji looked away, blushing from his embarrassment. "Will you do with Ritsuka...you said you wouldn't let the baby live."

Minami replaced his glasses, letting out a small sigh.

"I'm going to abort it."

XXXXXXXX

Ritsuka grinned at Seimei, his cheeks warming.

"Can you feel it really well?!"

"Oh!" Seimei felt his cheeks blood with warmth as well as he pressed his hand to Ritsuka's hard belly. He felt it nudge.

Ritsuka laughed.

"It hurts sometimes, it likes to kick alot."

Seimei nodded he rested his head against Ritsuka's chest, sighing contently. Ritsuka rested his chin on his older brother's head, his smaller hand on Seimei's.

"I'm so big...hah. I don't have too much longer...and, and I was thinking..."

Seimei raised his head, frowning.

"What is it?"

Ritsuka sared across the night sky, the bench they were sittin on was cold, but he was comfortable there, with Seimei. It was getting late but there was something about the way the deep duck pond looked at night that made Ritsuka want to stay all night. The way the watter lillies seemed to drift so slowly, how the sky looked like it was covered in diamonds, and the way Seimei's scent had never changed; he smelled just the same way he did when he was a child.

"here hold my sewing kit, I dont have deep enough pockets." Ritsu pelled out his little blue box, handing it to his older brother, who frowned.

"Stop changing the subject..." Seimei sighed, shoving the box into his back pocket.

Ritsuka scratched the back of his head, nervously averting his eyes.

"I-I want a house, a house for me and you and the baby."

Seimei's raised his eyebrows, a small smile gracing his lips.

"Of course."

Ritsuka knit his brow together, biting his lip.

"Seimei! How can we even afford that?! I'm not working or anything and neither are you!"

Seimei cracked up, looking amused.

"I'm not am I?! I've been working! I've had a job for two years already."

Ritsuka gaped, pushing Seimei's shoulder back.

"You have not!"

Seimei just looked at his little brother incredulously, raising a brow.

"What do you think I do when you sleep for ten hours?! I'm a writer, I've writen quite a few articles and a book so far, I get royalty payments monthly."

Ritsuka stared at Seimei in wonder, his face caught in suprise.

"You-you are? Why didn't you tell me?! I've never heard of any books written by a Seimei Aoyagi."

"I have a pen name, silly Ritsuka. It's Onagai Ketsueki. I write for the Asahi Shimbun from time to time."

Ritsuka's eyes widened, his cheeks warming a bit.

"Oh...that's kind of sexy, wait you wrote Castles made of Sand?"

Seimei nodded, smiling just a bit smugly.

"Wow, I can't believe you wrote somthing so dark...well I guess I can, but I remeber I was depressed for like a week after I read that."

Seimei just sighed, running a hand through his hair, looking out at a couple sitting a the waterside, trying to wake up a family of ducklings.

"Sorry Ritsuka, it's what interests me I suppose."

Ritsuka shrugged, resting his head on Seimei's shoulder.

"It's ok, it was very good. Just sad...and a little violent. But, I'm so proud of you, being a writer is really impressive. You have a great way with words."

Seimei wrapped his arm around Ritsuka's shoulder, pulling him closer.

"Do you think we should tell Soubi and Kaito to stop harrassing the baby ducks so we can go home? Your little nose is all red and I can't have you catching a cold."

Ritsuka frowned, his face contorting with a pout.

"I'm not a little kid any more Seimei! I'm having your baby for chirst's sake. You'd think you could give me a little more credit."

Seimei tsked, placing a finger over his little brother's pretty mouth.

"No, no. You'll always be little in my eyes. I will dote on you and treat you as I please. My little brother."

Ritsuka shoved Seimei's hand away, sulking.

"No sex."

Seimei raised a brow at this, trying to stifle his laugh.

"Oh, you won't last a day, Ritsuka."

"I will too! We don't even do it that much anymore...cuz well you know."

Seimei pulled his brother into his arms, squeezing his shoulders.

"Is Ritsuka self concious?! I think you look beautiful like this you know, it's attractive to me."

Ritsuka shrugged.

"It's too hard to do it when I'm like this anyway. I'm too big, I can really only be on my hands and kness."

Seimei's face flushed brightly and he looked away.

"Ritsuka please, don't talk about this right now...I don't want to imagine you in such a position...not in public anyway."

"Aoyagi Seimei."

A deep familiar voice call out behind the coulple sitting on the bench. Seimei whipped hs head around, staring intently into the darkness.

"Show yourself Minami." He growled.

Ritsuka clung to Seimei, pressing his face into his older brother's shirt.

"Seimei don't do anything...please..." The younger boy pleaded.

Seimei didn't answer he just stared out, waiting for the headmaster to show himself, his body stiff.

Soubi came running from the water's edge, Kio being drug hand in hand behind him.

"Seimei I felt it, is he here?!" Soubi let his wods tumble from his mouth, panting from his nerves.

Seimei nodded slowly, still keeping from averting his gaze.

Ritsu emerged from the shadows standing a few feet away from them, his arms crossed.

"Face me, Seimei...or parish. I'm going to be taking Ritsuka with me. Stand down or be delt with, you won't stand in my way."

Seimei's face was almost ureadable, but to Ritsuka, he could see the distinguishable anger rising in him. His eyes were hard, his body rigid, Seimei was burning with rage... Ritsuka could feel it.

"I'm going to kill you, you old fuck. Make no mistake, you will regret with day." Seimei's voice was even and deep, his face stoic. "You stay away from my family or you will feel unimaginable suffering."

Soubi stared at Ritsu, his face filled with fear and suprise.

"Soubi.."

The sentoki was shakin out of his stupor by Seimei's velvet voice. Seimei looked up and reached for Soubi's arm, pulling him down, face to face.

"Soubi." He whispered. "You take him, take Ritsuka, gaurd him with all you've got. Please, Soubi, don't let anything happen to him. I'm trusting you with his life."

Soubi nodded slowly.

"Understood." The sentoki then leaned down and pulled Ritsuka into his arms, cradling him as the boy struggled.

Ritsuka gasped, his face stricken with fear.

"NO! NO! Soubi NO! Please! Seimei, I don't want to leave you!" Ritsuka pleaded. "Don't make me go! I can't just leave you like this!"

Seimei shook his head, his face a bit sullen.

" Ritsuka, this isn't just about our lives anymore, we have our baby to protect. You have to go where it's safe for you. Let me take care of Ritsu, everything will be fine." Seime stood up, placing a soft kiss on his brother's forehead. "Be good."

With that Soubi ran off into to the darkness with Kio running beside him and Ritsuka sobbing in his arms.

XXXXXX

"How are you planning on killing me you old fool, you're ignorant if you think you can take my family from me."

Ritsu Narrowed his eyes, removing his glasses and sticking them into the back pocket of his jeans.

"I declare a battle of words."

Seimei's eyes widened, momentarily showing his suprise.

"Accepted!"

Ritsu smiled, his mouth bending upward.

"Assail, berate him, with my words, like knives." As Ritsu uttered this, lightning swelled around him, flashing as one by one knives flew at Seimei's face.

Seimei rasied his hand outward, looking away.

"Impossible, you are beyond your bounds; imperfect, unproficient, To you I am, impenetrable."

Shining light reveled a restraint clasped tightly to Ritsu's wrist, he gimaced in the sudden pain.

"Radiate, emit light as strike you down, erupt."

Seimei covered his eyes as a blinding light rushed at him, a white flourecence so bright that sound was eliminated, making his ears ring.

"Negate!" Seimei shouted over the defaning peircing whistle, his eyes still shut tightly. "I will distroy you, abolish you, erase you."

Seimei smiled wickedly as the atmosphere changed, black flames emerged from the darkness, like shodows rising from the earth.

Ritsu screamed out, falling to his knees as became shackled at his neck. It was going to be over to quickly if he didn't do somthing soon, something drastic. He needed a weakness...Seimei had a weakness, but Ritsu nedded a way to exploit it. That was the only way to finallt defeat this monster.

"You are the worst kind of beast, Aoyagi Seimei. All of the pain, the suffering you've brouth to the people who love you...it's a shame, an abomination. Ritsuka is angony because you your child, suffering mentally and physically. Only you could have done something like that to your own brother...you devil. Your child will be a miscreation...a monstrosity."

Seimei cried out suddenly, his wrists being captured tightly and bound together. The manacles squeezed him, consricting him.

"No! I-I didn't want to hurt him.." Seimei bowed his head, his face controted with anguish.

Ritsu's bonds shattered, falling to peices around him. The sky swirled with storm clouds, electricity flashing in the heart of the maelstrom.

"Another of my butterflies...another one of my trouphies. You are mine now, to weild as I please. what will I deem an apropraite punishment, let me carve my mark into you in the place you marked my Soubi...make you bleed with the affictions of your loved ones, the ones who cared about you. I will hack and divide you inthis place, carve into you. Let it be gaping... screaming like an angry mouth."

Seimei's fists shook as he felt a hot pain sear into the base of his neck, he screamed, but it died out. Somthing warm bubled up in his throat and Seimei coughed, black blood spilled from a jagged fissure in his neck. He fell to his knees, his head swiming. Seimei covered the wound with his hands as he stared into Ritsu's eyes.

At this moment it was all clear to Seimei, he may die here, this may be the end of him, but Ritsuka would be ok...Soubi would take care of him, Kio would too. Soubi could protect him, and Seimei could be happy with that, happy that his little brother would live and that even Ritsuka was strong enough to protect himself.

Seimei squeezed his neck, a slight smile gracing his lips. He drew all of his strength inside of him, usuing his emotion and fortitude from his very core to live.

"Desperate and Ravenous, You are so Weak and Powerless over me. No controll...No dominion...No strength to go have fail to win, because in life or death, I only live for one person...and you can never reach him."

Ritsu stared in horror as he became bound and harnessed by black cord, pulling his amrs in tight to his side it snaked around his body.

All of Seimei's restraints burst and shattered, evaporating into the air. His hands shook as he lost his blood to the wound inhis neck, he was loosing more blood an oxygen by the minute and if he didn't think quickly he would die soon.

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out the small blue plastic box the Ritsuka had handed him earlier, his sewing kit. He was never happier that Ritsuka forgot to leave it at home thenhe was at that very moment. With unstead fingures he pulled the black spool of string from the holder, the needle still threaded to it. Seimei elongated his neck, removing his hand, hefelt more of the warm blood ooze from the gash. He started from the right and pushed the small needle into his skin, pulling the thread through his wound.

Over and over he gasped and groaned as pulled the needle in and out of his neck. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth and stainded his teeth. Ritsu stared his him on shock, his face contorted with disgust as he watched the unfathomable act.

"You-You really are insane." The headmaster stuttered, still bound tightly by Seimei's powerful spell. The courd the held him was to tight it was beginign to make Ritsu see spots.

Seimei ignored him as he pulled the thread tight, almost totally closing the fissure in his neck. He sturggled to tie off the black string as he came to the end of the wound. He gripped the spool inhis palm and gasped one more time as he cut the tie with the small sewing scissors.

He panted for a moment and then stared down at Ritsu, his eyes ablaze with furry.

"I can talk again." He stated, raising his hand up to gaze his fingers across the stitching.

"You will pay dearly for what you've done to me." Seimei walked over to were Ritsu was laying, bending down to his level.

"I think I can only play with you for a little while..." Seimei stated softly, touching Ritsu's hair. "So I'll make it fun, do you like pupet shows?"

XXXXXX

It was two in the morning and Soubi was in the kichen leaning on the counter when he heard his phone ring. His hands shook as he pulled it out of his pocket and put it to his ear.

"Seimei?!"

Soubi asked impatiently, biting his lip.

"Soubi." Said a whisper of a voice on the other end, it sounded tired.

"Seimei! What is it? Is everything ok?! You sound weak."

He heard a sigh.

"I'm a little tired, Soubi, you need to come and get me, leave Ritsuka. I don't care if he pleads, leave him with Kio. He's safe now."

Soubi's eyes widened and ne noded into the phone.

"Oh, he's- he's asleep. He cried alot and then fell asleep. I'll be there in just a minute."

Soubi hung up the phone and bound into the livingroom, waking up Kio.

"Hey babe." He whispered. "I'm going to get Seimei, you stay with Ritsuka ok."

Kio rubbed his eyes nodding.

"Kay Sou-chan."

Soubi grabed his coat and flew out the door.

XXXX

When Soubi arrived at the park the atmosphere reeked of death. He searched for Seimei's battle radious, he should have spotted it immidiatly, but intstead he search for ten mintues until he felt it.

"Oh god...he must be hurt." Soubi whispered as he headed toward the aura, his heart pounding.

He spotted Seimei leaned up against an old willow tree at the edge of the duck pond, his eyes were closed.

"Seimei!" He exclaimed, running to his side.

Seimei eyes were open but they were like slits. Soubi knelt down in front of him, his eyes wide with shok.

"My god, what happened to your neck?!"

Soubi reached out to Seimei's wound, stopping only inches away from it. It looked like a Jack O' Lantern's mouth, the way it was so jagged. Seimei's grey sweater was covered in blood, as were the front of his dark jeans. Soubi reached down and tried his best to pull the heavy Seimei into his arms, cradling him.

"I'm gonna take you to Gora, N-Nagisa will help us, she'll fix you up."

Seimei rested his head on Soubi's chest, his breathing labored. He nodded weakly.

"You're a good protector, Soubi...if anything. Always be that for my brother, if I can't."

Soubi rose to his feet nodding.

"Understood."

Soubi was about to turn to leave toward were he had parked Seimei's Mercades when he was something dark hanging from the tree Seimei had been laying against. It was hanging by it's shoulders and arms it curled over, looking like claws. He walked over to it slowly, entranced by terror. He walked all the way unil his was standing right before it.

"S-Sensei...what did he do to you?" Soubi whispered, Seimei unconcious in his arms.

The figure was, to Soubi's horror, Minami Ritsu. He was laced into the tree with a million little black strings, his body hanging like a marionette, his mouth sewn shut and into the shape of a heinous smile. Soubi stared in shock, his stomache turning. Ritsu's glasses and black cloth were missing and he had only eye sockets left, bloody empty holes that dripped down his face.

Soubi turned to leave, his face grim. Ritsu was dead...he'd never have to see his teacher ever again, and yet something about that made his heartache. Maybe it was the was he was grotesquely slaughtered, maybe it was that his life could have been presevered had he not bee such a fool; Soubi didn't know. But as he slid Seimei into the back seat of the car, a little bit of him ached for Minami, just a little bit of him.

Soubi picked up his phone and dialed the number for ZERO in his cell, sighing as he pulled out of the drive way.

"Soubi?" Natsuo asked, suprised.

"Yes." The sentoki answered with a tired sigh. "I have to report a clean up for Septimal Moon."

Natsuo sucked in a breath.

"Which was it Soubi...."

"Ritsu, he- he's hanging from a tree in Hibiya Park...he's all sewn up...h-his eyes are gouged out."

There was silence for a moment and Soubi could still feel his heart hammering in his chest...Ritsuka would never know about this, no one would tell him the details of Ritsu's death.

"I'll alert the Headmaster."


	13. 13:Saskia

Seimei looked very peaceful laying there, sleeping.

Ritsuka laid his head on his older brother's face his features sullen as he waited for Seimei to wake up. Nagisa sat next to him on a stool resting her chin on her hand.

"You know Ritsuka, he's going to be ok. If you keep stressing out you could go into labor and no one wants that right now."

Ritsuka sat up, looking into Nagisa's eyes.

"I know, I was just so close to loosing him again, really loosing my big brother this time. It still scares me."

"But Ritsuka." Nagisa smiled softly, placing a hand on the younger boys. "Everything is ok now, don't you understand that? No one will stop you from being happy again, not Ritsu, not your parents, not even Seimei. Everything has worked it's self out for the best. We're all free...even I am, now. I miss Ritsu alot, and I'm sure a part of Soubi misses him too...but we can really live now that we aren't preoccupied with him. You can too...and now there's no reason for you not to know the whole truth from your brother for the things he's done in the past. Because, Ritsuka, you're about to start a new part of your life, you're about to become a parent."

Ritsuka stared at Nagisa in disbelief, his mouth slightly agape.

"I've never heard you talk like that before...you're so... diferent. Th-thank you."

Nagisa reached for Ritsuka and pulled him close, her face a little sad.

"I feel difrent, I think helping you guys go through this has made me change my veiw about things...and so much has changed in these few months. I realize how I should have treated the children I had created...maybe by helping your family I can change...just little by little."

Ritsuka smiled and sighed, letting himself become comfortable in Nagisa's arms.

"That makes me happy, that maybe you got as much out of helping us as we did...well maybe not as much but at least a little bit."

Nagisa sat up, looking a bit sheepish.

"So I was thinking...would you like it if I was your family doctor? I think that might be the smartest move, since there are so many strange curcumstances in wich you baby was concieved. Things may happen in the future that could be unexplained by a regular doctor."

Ritsuka's face turned white and he nodded vigorously.

"Of course, I mean, do you think bad stuff could happen to my baby?!"

Nagisa's eyes widened and she shook her head.

"Oh no, no I don't see why the baby won't be normal, I'm just saying that maybe his gentetic make up will be diferent or something. Don't start worrying about things like that."

Ritsuka nodded as he looked down at his baby's father, he face serine.

"Thank you, Nagisa. I can never repay you, for doing so much for us. Just...thank you."

XXXXX

Seimei scratched at his bandaged neck, frowning.

"I don't care if it looks scary I just want to take this crap off..."

Ritsuka shook his head, leaning back against the bed, his hands on his huge tummy.

"You're acting uncharacterisicly like a child, Seimei. Just wear the bandage, it's only for a few weeks."

Seimei smiled, leaning down to kiss Ritsuka's head.

"Did I mention that I'm in love with you?" Seimei purred, burrying his face in his little brother's neck.

Ritsuka blushed.

"Hmm...I think you mentioned something like that in the past..."

Seimei raised up, biting his bottom lip, his cheeks a bit flushed.

"Did Ritsuka say he wanted some thing to eat...maybe a popcile or-."

Ritsuka shook his head vigorously, putting his hand in Seimei's face.

"No Way! I don't feel well at all today, Seimei. I don't have an appetite...and I definatly don't want to have sex. Plus! " Ritsuka huffed. "You're still very injured."

Seimei frowned, his face almost taking the form of a pout.

"I'm not -that- injured." Seimei complained under his breath.

Ritsuka rolled his eyes. "I'm going to lay down, my back hurts." The boy stated rolling over on the bed, trying to get comfortable.

Seimei frowned worriedly.

"You need to eat little brother, it's already twelve. Do you want me to make you something light? I can make you some rice."

Ritsuka pursed his lips, nodding.

"Yes, could you bring me my book?"

Seimei rose from where he was sitting, nodding as he searched for his shirt on the floor.

"It won't be too long little brother."

With that Seimei left the room, closing the door slightly behind him.

Having Seimei home again definatly put Ritsuka at ease again. He loved Soubi but he didn't really like him following him around all the time asking him if he was ok. He needed to be finishing up school with Kio and Ritsuka didn't want Soubi missing anymore assignments either. Plus, Seimei was so much better at taking care of him, he always knew what Ritsuka needed without him even having to ask.

Ritsuka sighed, burrying his head into his pillow. His back was really hurting today, he just didn't seem like he could ignore it like usual. He really wasn't very hungry at all, but Seimei would often guilt him into eating something. He'd say "Ritsuka! Our baby is hungry...you can't tell it no just because -you- don't feel like having Ramen." And Ritsuka would give in with a pout, of course.

"OH!" Ritsuka squeeked, reaching back to rub his lower back. The pain seemed to be gathering there, throbbing.

"Man, this baby is going to be the death of me. " Ritsuka sighed, sitting up and reaching for his laptop. "So much for a taking a nap."

Seimei walked intot he room balancing a bowl with chop stick in one hand and Ritsuka's book in the other.

"All done." Seimei greeted him with a smile, setting his things on the bed. "I thought you were gonna lay down."

Seimei sat next to his brother on the bed, crossing his legs. Ritsuka placed his laptop on the sidetable next to the bed, angling it toward where he was sitting.

"I decided to watch something...I'd go into the living room but I really ust want to rest in here. My back is hurting alot today."

Seimei nodded, placing a hand on Ritsuka's head, stroking his silky hair.

"I'm sorry, I wish I could help you. Maybe after you eat, you'll feel like napping."

Ritsuka rested his head on Seimei's shoulder, sighing.

"Maybe, I usually do. Thank you, brother, I like it when you take care of me."

Seimei laughed, resting his head on Ritsuka's.

"You sound like you're getting sleeping. Maybe you'll nap after all." Seimei laughed a bit, sounding amused. "Now eat, I've got to finish writing an article."

Ritsuka nodded, submissivly, as he watched Seimei get up and stretch, leaning down to his him on the forehead.

"Feel better ok, I'll be in the dining room if you need me."

XXXXX

Ritsuka woke up with a start. It had only been about an hour after he had fallen asleep with his rice in his lap and his chop stick in his hand. Seimei must have come to check on me, Ritsuka thought, struggling to sit up as he looked around the room for his bowl.

As he sat up he suddenly realized what had awaken him from his nap, he tensed up as pain spread through out his back and lower abdomen. He sucked in a breath, his heart thrumming in his chest.

"What was that?!" Ritsuka gasped, resting his hands on his belly.

He was about to call for Seimei when he suddenly felt sick, hs stomach turning from the unexpected pain. He wobbled to his feet and made his way to the bathroom, his head swiming a bit. He then let himslef fall to his knees, his exsessive weight making the act painful. He gasped and then heaved into the toilet, his face growing hot from the nausea.

He threw up for a few minutes, barley stopping to take a breath. Ritsuka leaned his head on his arms, panting, his body finally seeming to return to normal. He tried to get up on his feet again to go into the living room but the same quick but unyeilding pain caught him off gaurd and he fell back to his knees, graoning.

"W-what is this?" Ritsuka asked himself. He could hear his own fear resonating in his voice.

He sat there on the bathroom floor for a moment, trying to figure out if it was just a normal pain, or if it could be serious.

Ritsuka gasped when the pain returned, but he braced himself, gripping his fingure into the rug on the floor as he leaned back and waited for the squeezing pressure to subside.

Ritsuka tried to stand up again, staggering, as he held onto the towel rack next to him. He walk out into the livingroom, his heart banging in his chest. Although the pain was periodical, his back still hurt so badly, it was throbbing and every time Ritsuka took a step he could feel it.

"AH!" Ritsuka whimpered, rubbing his stomach as another wave of pain hit him, crippling him. "This is worst than I imagined!" Ritsuka huffed to himself letting himself falter to the carpeted floor.

The cramping lasted a little longer this time Ritsuka realized as he held his breath, waiting for it to stop again.

"Seimei!" Ritsuka cried. "I need you!"

He heard Seimei's foot step running toward him from the other room. He sucked in a breath, shutting his eyes tightly. This was going to be it...the defining moment in his life, everything he would live for, for the rest of his life, was going to come in the next few hours.

Seimei knelt down and pulled Ritsuka into his arms, his hands shaking.

"What is it?!" He demanded, his voice wavering. "Are you ok Ritsuka?!"

Ritsuka let himself open his eyes and he suddenly felt emotion rise up in his throat as he looked into Seimei's beautiful owrried features.

"I- I think I'm having the baby...I think we need to go to Nagisa's...the contractions are alot closer together than I thought the would be."

Seimei's face dropped from worry to suddenly intent. He bent his head down and kissed Ritsuka softly before he got up and hurried off into the bedroom, shuffling around a bit before he came out with a bag.

"I've got your things, we're gonna get there as fast as I can drive, do you think you can last that long?!"

Ritsuka nodded, although he really had no idea how long it would be until the baby came, or how he could even give birth to it without assistance.

"Good, Ok Um.." Seimei looked around the aparment with confussed and uncertain features. "I think we've got everything."

Ritsuka smiled, suddenly feel a twinge of excitment, but not completely leaving his fear behind.

Seimei pulled the strap of Ritsuka's messanger bag full of his things over his shoulder and then stooped down the help Ritsuka to his feet. Ritsuka drapped his wieght over Seimei's shoulder and braced himself as they slowly made their way out the door.

Ritsuka looked worriedly at his brother's features, Seimei seemed so calm, Ritsuka didn't know how he could feel that way when he, himslef, felt like he was being brought to the brink with worry.

"Ritsuka." Seimei spoke, his voice calm and even. " In a few hours....we'll be parents. By this time tomorrow...w-we'll have a baby with a name and a little cradle to lay it in...We'll have this reality to hold in our arms..."

Ritsuka stopped walking to look up at his brother's face, wich had greatly changed from calm...to this emmotional beauty, his eyes were so far away and his lips were curved grafully into an angelic smile.

"S-Seimei..." Ritsuka whispered reaching up to touch his face. "I'm afraid...but- but I know one thing, if it all works out...you're going to be a great father. I think that's what we survived all of this for. For our baby...I think we're going to learn how to be happy."

Seimei turned to look at Ritsuka, his gaze soft and ethereal.

"You're so wise for your age, my little brother, sometimes you know just what to say."

Ritsuka smiled through his sudden pain as another contraction took over his body.

"I l-love you Seimei...but I think we've got to hurry, it's hurting alot."

XXXXX

Soubi crossed his arms, he could hide how nervous he was, even Kio could see it on his face.

"Calm down, Sou-chan, it'll be fine, you'll see." Kio pulled the sucker from his mouth and studied it, pretending to be interested in it's dents and ridges.

The two were called out of class while Seimei was on the way to Gora. They had rushed to the school as soon as they got the news, they were even still dressed in their paint spatterted aprons, Soub's hair still pulled back.

Soubi put a cigarette shaily to his lips, pulling a lighte from his pocket. Kio frowned.

"Don't smoke outside of the place were Ritsuka's having the baby! It's bad luck." Kio spouted, pull the cigarette from Soubi's lips. Soubi knit his brow, frowning.

"No it isn't, Kio."

They were statled by the sudden opening of the door, Seimei came out, his face worried.

Soubi's eyes widened.

"What is it, Sei-kun?!" Kio asked, his hands on his hips.

"We came too late...we can't have the c-section, apperantly Ritsuka is too far along in the delivery to do that..."

Soubi's face showed his horror, his eye brow twitching.

"C-can he really do that...can his body handle that...how does it-."

Seimei cut him off, his face irritated.

"He can do it, Nagisa said he could...that his body had developed to handle it. I'm just as scared as you are...I wouldn't want to have a baby naturally if I had the choice either."

Soubi cringed.

"Does he at least get pain medication?"

Seimei frowned, shaking his head.

"No epidural, for the same reason. He's too far along. But after the baby is born he can have all the morphine he wants...not that I really like that either."

They heard Ritsuka cry out, and Soubi looked like he might jump out his his skin. Kio looked incredulously at his boyfriend, a half smile playing on his lips.

"Don't mind him, Sei-kun, just go be a daddy, we'll be fine out here."

Seimei smiled just a little before he nodded and went back into the lab, shutting the heavy door behind him.

"Naturally..." Was all Soubi could get out as Kio stood next to him on the balcony.

"Calm down, Seimei doesn't seem too worried, and you know how he is about Ritsuka. Just stop worrying. Imagine about how you get to see the little Ritsuka baby after all of this is over."

Soubi nodded, his face begining to light up.

"I bet it'll be cute just like Ritsuka, have his pretty hair and eyes...and those little ears."

Kio laughed, running his fingures through his hair.

"Yeah, that would be adorible. I wonder if it's a girl or a boy. Hmm...I think it would be cute either way, although I think Ritsuka would make a pretty girl."

Soubi laughed.

"He is awfully girly, isn't he?"

Kio joined him in a laugh, his smile infectious.

"Do you think we'll be together long enough to worry about kids, Sou-chan?" Kio asked, his laughter dying down.

Soubi raised a brow, pulling his arm around Kio's shoulders.

"I think we can talk about it when ever we want. I love you, Kio. I don't just go around loving anyone. So the way I see it, I want to be with you..well, as long as I'm alive."

Kio face softened, his cheeks burning a bit.

"Th-then what about children, Sou-can? Can we some how have any?"

Soubi frowned, his features determined.

"Umm...I don't really see how. But what I di think is that this baby...we could help raise this one. And, unless the oportunity represnts it's self, like it did with Ritsuka, and the zeros in the past, then I'm not going to seek out adopting any on my own. Because, I'm sure that we will have the oportunity in the future...it always seems to end up that way."

Kio thought about this for a moment, nodding.

"You're right...I'm not sure how I feel about having my own child, but I'll always help someone who needs it."

Soubi leaned down and Kissed Kio's forehead, clutching his shoulder in his large hand.

"We think the same way...I think we must be made for eachother."

Kio sighed leaning his head on Soubi's shoulder.

"We must be."

XXXX

The crying was unmistakable. Seimei looked with wide unbelieveing eyes at the little child in Nagisa's arms. It was so small...so fragile looking. He watched in wonder from Ritsuka's side as the cord was cut and the baby was wrapped quickly in a small white blanket. Seimei almost couldn't understnad the emmotions battling in his chest. He felt so overwhemled, his eyes brimed with wetness as he watched Nagisa place the baby in Ritsuka's weak arms.

Ritsuka sighed sleepily as he held the whimpering baby to him tightly.

"My little boy..." Ritsuka breathed, stroking the baby's wet auburn hair.

Seimei could remember clearly the night, almost six months ago, when they had made that connection....realized how in love with eachother they were, him and had kissed him deeply and they had taken eachother's ears...and in this act, this revelation, they had conceived this little child, this beautiful half of both of them.

Seimei wiped his cheeks, staring down at his little boy crying weakly in his younger brother's arms.

"What-what will we name him, Ritsuka?" Seimei asked breathlessly, running his hands through Ritsuka's damp hair.

Ritsuka smiled up at Seimei's softly sentimental features.

"I-I like Saskia, if that's ok with you."

"Saskia? I think it fits him perfectly...he looks like a Saskia." Seimei said smiling at the baby who had stopped crying and appeared to be resting, his angelic face burried in Ritsuka's chest.

"Saskia..." Seimei mouthed, looking down at the baby's who's features almost exactly mimicked his own.

Ritsuka sighed as Nagisa took the baby from his arms to wash him up.

"You'll have to feed him right after I get done, ok." She said satring down at the little boy in her arms. "Man, even this small he looks just like you Seimei." Nagisa giggled just a bit.

Seimei's cheeks flushed deeply.

"I guess he does." He smiled a bit proudly.

XXXXXXXX

Soubi held tightly to Kio's hand as they walked into the Lab. It was bright with the light of the setting sun and had a sudden calming affect.

They both followed Seimei to Ritsuka's bedside where the sixteen yearold boy was sleeping soudly with the baby also sleeping in his arms.

"Oh my god, Seimei...he looks just like you, look at that hair!" Soubi exclaimed, the noise making the baby's ears flicker just a bit. Seimei laughed a little, and then frowned at Soubi, scoldingly.

"Be quiet Soubi...if you wake him I'll...errmm." Seimei bit his lip, trying to hold onto his patience.

Kio laughed, rubbing the defeated Soubi's hand, soothingly.

"Aw, it's ok Sou-chan. You just don't know how to act around 's all."

Soubi raised a brow and then looked back down at the baby, a small sigh esacping him.

"He is beautiful though, really Seimei..." Soubi sighed appricatively. "You've named yet?"

Seimei nodded, a proud smile curving his lips.

"His name is Aoyagi Saskia Onagai. Ritsuka named him...I think it's cute."

Kio laughed a little.

"He should have just named him Little Seimei..."

Seimei laughed too, placing a hand on Soubi's shoulder.

SOubi became rigid in suprise.

"I'm gld that Saskia has such a good family to raise him, It's so much more than Ritsuka and I have had. And I'm glad you guys are in his life...I just wanted to tell you that."

Soubi and Kio both looked up at Seimei in awe.

"Seimei, so much has changed in the last few months, our relationships, our lives, how we see eachother. I- I'm glad...I'm glad I got to know you, how you really are Seimei. In a way I think it's healed me...and I'd like to think that with Saskia born...that we are made whole...like a real family."

Soubi placed a hand on Seimei's shoulder as well, and wasn't shrugged off. Seimei smiled warmly, his features soft and unyeilding.

"I'm glad too."


End file.
